Buhari @ e-Nigeria 2018, says technology inclusion fast-tracking economic growth
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, hailed the performance of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in monitoring and rolling out strategic technology policies in the nation’s march to knowledge economy.
In his address to declare open the eNIGERIA 2018 three-day summit with the theme ‘Promoting Digital Economy in an Era of Disruptive Technologies through Effective Regulations,’ President Buhari listed some of the key policy contributions of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) including making the fight against corruption seamless, introduction of Treasury Single Account (TSA) and easy access to information which is now boosting ease of doing business in the country.
He further commended NITDA for standing strong in its core functions including deepening ICT education, monitoring and supervising the activities of MDAs in procurements of ICT materials.
He noted that NITDA as the clearing House of IT Projects in Nigeria, has been mandated to clear all IT Projects in line with the policy objectives of the Federal Government to maximize transparency and accountability in carrying out IT Projects by Public Institutions.
Business Hilights recalls that the Federal Government had issued a Circular No SGF/6/S.19/T/65 of 18th April 2006 directing that all Public Institutions planning to embark on any IT project shall obtain clearance from NITDA.
Earlier in his address of welcome, the Director General of NITDA, Dr. Ali Ibrahim Pantami, who relied on the theme of the summit, emphasized on the need to migrate from Resource based Economy to Knowledge-based economy which is fast becoming the global trend.
He used the occasion to highlight key achievements of NITDA under his watch, revealing that under his watch; NITDA has saved well over N30bn for Nigeria.
Dr Pantami made it clear that NITDA’s mandate has assisted in the harmonization of the implementation of IT projects within the Public Institutions, reduction in the cost of IT project execution and duplication, development of the local IT market in volume of trade and content and ensuring accurate statistics as regards IT assets for Government.
He added further that NITDA has issued a Guideline on IT Project Clearance to ensure amongst others; that IT projects are not replicated; Integration of IT systems and services by MDAs to save costs, promote shared services, interoperability and improve efficiency; That the technology and services being procured are suitable for the country from the point of view of security and the environment, among others; That there is indigenous capacity for after-sales-service to sustain the project beyond the initial deployment; That the project promotes indigenous content and that preference shall be given to indigenous companies where capacity or the product or service exists; and that the technology being implemented is up-to-date.
The Guidelines are issued in line with the need for a coordinated, standardized and orderly approach to the deployment of Information Technology (IT) systems by Public Institutions.
Giving credence to NITDA’s performance in the last three years, the Minister of Communication Barr Adebayo Shittu, averred that the ICT sector has provided more jobs in Nigeria than other sectors including the oil and gas sector at the moment.
He noted that through the adoption of ICT platforms across all government activities, eAgriculture, eLearning, eCommerce and other multiplier effects of ICT adoptions are beginning to deepen general job creation and rise in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Giving more strategic emphasis on the positive impacts of technology to the Nigeria nation, former chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who spoke extensively on ‘The Role of Disruptive Technologies in Curtailing Corruption,’ he revealed that use of technology in fighting crimes has aided performance of all crime fighting agencies in Nigeria as investigations are now faster and more seamless.
He however called on Nigerians to join forces with the government to stamp out all forms of corruption, saying “This is time to use technology to fight and kill corruption before it kills Nigeria”.
Business Hilights Abuja Bureau chief reports that the 2018 edition of the e-Nigeria Conference, Exhibitions and Awards started from Monday, November 5, 2018 to end Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at the International Conference Centre, located at the Central Business District, Abuja.
This year’s conference is designed to reflect the social and economic diversity inherent in the Nigerian society and, by implication, the diverse use of technology in national development.
