FutureMap: Unlocking Potential Through Design Thinking, By Shuaib S. Agaka

Mandara, Kashifu, Rakiya, Odiong

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By Shuaib S. Agaka

In today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving world, innovation is not a luxury—it is a necessity. The ability to think critically, empathize deeply, and solve problems creatively has become fundamental across all sectors—technology, governance, education, and entrepreneurship. Whether launching a startup, shaping public policy, or building community-based solutions, success increasingly hinges on the ability to think beyond the obvious and lead with insight and empathy.

Recognizing this growing need, the Future Map Foundation, in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has launched the Design Thinking Program—a transformative initiative aimed at equipping individuals with the tools and mindset to become creative, agile, and solution-driven leaders.

This milestone comes on the heels of Future Map’s recent strategic appointment of a new Board of Directors, a move intended to deepen the Foundation’s impact in youth empowerment and digital innovation across Africa. The board comprises distinguished professionals including Dr. Mairo Mandara, a leading public health expert; Mrs. Rakiya Shuaibu Mohammed, a veteran in technology and finance; Mr. Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA; and Dr. Odiong Akpan, a specialist in digital infrastructure and innovation systems.

According to Future Map CEO Ahmad Shu’aibu, the board members bring decades of experience and a wealth of insight that will guide the Foundation in scaling up its training programs in cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Agritech, and digital entrepreneurship. Their leadership is also expected to significantly advance gender inclusion and enhance opportunities for marginalized communities, particularly in northern Nigeria.

With a bold target to train 3,000 Nigerians in deep-tech skills by 2030, Future Map continues to drive inclusive development and foster a digitally literate, innovation-ready youth population.

This intervention is both timely and essential, given the complex realities of our time—an era defined by rapid technological advancement, globalization, and evolving socio-political dynamics.

From artificial intelligence to climate change, the challenges facing the world are deeply interconnected and increasingly multifaceted. Traditional approaches are insufficient. Addressing today’s issues requires an interdisciplinary mindset that blends technical knowledge with human insight, strategic thinking with empathy.

While technology has transformed entire industries through automation, machine learning, and big data, it has also exacerbated social inequalities and environmental concerns. Addressing these layered challenges requires individuals who can synthesize complexity, embrace ambiguity, and devise solutions that are as inclusive as they are innovative.

In this context, mental agility and adaptive thinking are no longer optional—they are critical. However, the accelerated pace of change often leads to reactive decision-making at the expense of thoughtful, lasting solutions. This is precisely where Design Thinking offers immense value.

Design thinking is a structured, iterative methodology rooted in empathy. It prioritizes understanding user needs, defining real problems, brainstorming possible solutions, prototyping, and testing ideas in context. By placing the human experience at the center of innovation, it helps individuals move beyond surface-level fixes to uncover practical, sustainable, and impactful outcomes.

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Moreover, design thinking promotes creativity by challenging individuals to step outside conventional thought patterns. It encourages experimentation, embraces failure as part of the learning process, and cultivates a mindset of resilience. These qualities are indispensable in today’s unpredictable world.

The Future Map Design Thinking Program builds on these principles with a rich, interdisciplinary curriculum that draws insights from technology, psychology, business, and the humanities. This broad foundation enables participants to approach problems from multiple angles, make unexpected connections, and generate breakthrough ideas that might otherwise remain hidden.

One of the core strengths of the program lies in its focus on cognitive agility—the ability to adapt thinking and strategy in response to change. In a world where fixed solutions quickly become obsolete, this type of mental flexibility becomes a vital leadership trait. Participants are challenged to reframe problems, reimagine possibilities, and make informed decisions in real-time, all while navigating uncertainty with confidence.

Another defining feature of the program is its experiential learning model. Rather than relying solely on lectures, participants engage directly with real-world scenarios through workshops, simulations, and collaborative projects. This hands-on approach ensures that learning is not just theoretical, but deeply practical—providing immediate relevance and long-term applicability.

Collaboration is a central pillar of the learning experience. Participants work in diverse teams, bringing together different cultural, professional, and academic backgrounds. This diversity fosters inclusive dialogue, hones communication and negotiation skills, and teaches the importance of mutual respect in complex decision-making environments.

Mentorship also plays a pivotal role. The program engages accomplished professionals as mentors, offering participants personalized guidance and critical feedback. These mentors serve not only as experts in their fields, but also as thought partners who help refine thinking, challenge assumptions, and inspire participants to reach higher levels of performance and insight.

The program’s effectiveness is underscored by Future Map’s impressive track record. Through earlier initiatives such as the Future Map Academy, Innovation Hub, and Round Table Dialogues, the organization has nurtured a growing network of innovators, technologists, and social entrepreneurs. Alumni of these programs have gone on to lead pioneering projects in health tech, digital education, policy reform, and grassroots innovation.

Many of them credit Future Map with helping them cultivate the mindset and skills needed to drive meaningful change—skills that go beyond technical know-how to include leadership, empathy, and adaptability.

The Design Thinking Program, therefore, represents a strategic evolution in Future Map’s mission: building a generation of thinkers and doers capable of confronting the challenges of the 21st century. By embedding values such as curiosity, empathy, experimentation, and strategic foresight, the program is preparing participants not only for today’s problems but for the evolving demands of the future.

As the next edition of the program approaches, Future Map is extending an open invitation to innovators, educators, development partners, and forward-thinking organizations. Whether by participating, mentoring, or providing institutional support, stakeholders are encouraged to be part of a movement that prioritizes thoughtful innovation, inclusive development, and sustainable impact.

In a world that increasingly demands cross-cutting insight, purposeful leadership, and collaborative problem-solving, this program offers a timely and transformative opportunity. Now more than ever, it is time to invest in the kind of thinking that doesn’t just react to the future—but shapes it.

Shuaib S. Agaka is with Tech Digest and based in Kano. [email protected]