The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has disclosed that the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), remains a critical agency, capable of enabling Nigeria to achieve and sustain its digital technology transformation.
Speaking at the NITDA @20 Anniversary conference held in Abuja on Monday, Prof. Danbatta, averred that the agency has met the expectations of Nigerians in the past 20 years of its existence.
Earlier in his address, the Director-General of the agency, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi highlighted the achievements of the agency in the last two decades, stressing that NITDA’s creation symbolized Nigeria’s resolution to embrace digital transformation, adding that the story of NITDA explains Nigeria’s journey to a digital economy.
According to him, “What is the difference between digitization and digitalization? Digitization means using IT to enhance traditional processes.
“In comparison, digitalization means using IT to deliver new value propositions through innovation. It is about taking advantage of IT as a source of inspiration and strategic national economic, security and social platform.
“On the 23rd of October 2019, based on the digitalization objective, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, approved the re-designation of our Ministry as the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
“The primary purpose of the re-designation was to create a policy framework that would oversee the development of the digital economy for a digital Nigeria.
“Subsequently, on the 28th of November, 2019, the President unveiled the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) to facilitate the diversification of our economy and position Nigeria to tap from the $11.5trillion global digital economy worth.
“NITDA is playing pivotal roles to actualize the objectives of the NDEPS as it had done with the National IT Policy.
