Zamfara Seeks Swedish Partnerships to Drive Digital, Economic Transformation

The Zamfara State Government has intensified efforts to modernise its economy by engaging leading Swedish institutions and international development partners in a bid to accelerate digital transformation and economic growth.

A delegation led by Governor Dauda Lawal embarked on a series of high-level meetings in Sweden, seeking strategic partnerships, foreign investments and technical expertise to strengthen the state’s digital infrastructure, innovation ecosystem and human capital development.

Speaking on the outcome of the engagements, Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Information Technology Development Agency (ZITDA), Dr. Habib Gajam, said the visit was aimed at establishing practical collaborations capable of fast-tracking Zamfara’s digital development agenda.

According to him, discussions focused on key areas including cybersecurity, secure internet connectivity, telecommunications infrastructure, broadband expansion and improving digital access across Zamfara State and the wider North-West region.

The delegation also held talks with the Stockholm International Program for Digitalisation (SPIDER) at Stockholm University, where both parties explored opportunities in digital governance, digital inclusion, institutional capacity building and support for the Zamfara Institute of Information Technology (ZIIT).

In separate meetings, officials engaged with the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) to discuss collaboration in applied research, technology innovation, institutional development and knowledge exchange that could support the state’s digital ambitions.

The delegation further met with representatives of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) to study international best practices in telecommunications regulation, broadband deployment, digital infrastructure development and universal internet access.

Dr. Gajam said the engagements reflect Governor Lawal’s commitment to making technology and innovation central to Zamfara’s long-term economic development strategy.

He added that ZITDA is focused on ensuring the discussions translate into concrete projects that will promote digital inclusion, create economic opportunities and support sustainable development across the state.

The initiative forms part of Zamfara’s broader strategy to leverage international partnerships in improving governance, expanding digital services and attracting investments capable of boosting economic growth.