As part of its efforts to facilitate the implementation of electronic governance (e-government) in Nigeria, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said it has trained staff of the National Traditional Council for Traditional Rulers in Nigeria (NTCRN) on the basics of the e-government master plan.
Declaring the workshop open in Abuja, the NITDA director-general, Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi, said the exercise would be carried out to ensure successful implementation of the e-Government master plan, as well as inculcate the use of information technology in all activities of the government.
He pointed out that the training was aimed at ensuring the application of technology in running government businesses, especially in the post-COVID-19 era.
“With this engagement of traditional institutions in the country, the impact of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) has recorded yet another breakthrough in its quest to ensure a digital Nigeria.
“This feat was attained when the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, through the NITDA, resolved to strengthen the policy by engaging the administrators of traditional institutions in the country with digital technology as a platform for stimulating growth,” Abdullahi stated.
While highlighting the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy Policy’s components, the director-general explained that NITDA has a strategic road map that it has been implementing, in line with the national e-Government master plan for the country.
“As engine room for the implementation of government policies and programmes, building the capabilities of government officials to deliver on your mandates should be a priority to any government,” he added.
Represented by the director, information technology and infrastructure solutions of the agency, Dr. Usman Abdullahi, Abdullahi argued that as the apex body saddled with IT development and regulations, the agency’s ability to deliver on the Federal Government’s digital economy mandate remains its focus. “We recognize that building your capability as a traditional institution should be one of our top priorities,” he said.
Highlighting the benefits of the training to the NTCRN staff, the NITDA boss described the role of traditional institutions as “critical” to the sustenance of any meaningful development given its closeness to the people at the grassroots.
“What the government is doing is to provide services for the people and the best way to do that is through full engagement of traditional rulers,” he alluded.
According to him, participants will be exposed to understanding how virtual platforms works and how to create [Microsoft] Teams, as well as how to set up video conferencing, amongst many others during the training.
Abdullahi also hinted that the training will save participants from the vulnerabilities of online platforms, as Nigeria fast approaches full attainment of a digital economy, where the country has to be on the cyber space with its associated challenges.
In his remarks, the Etsu Nupe and chairman, coordinating committee, National Council for Traditional Rulers in Nigeria, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, commended the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy led by Prof. Isa Pantami for his resilience and commitment towards making Nigeria a digitally-dependent country.
He noted that the giant strides recorded in the sector demonstrate that the country will soon join the league of the world’s top economies.
Similarly, the NTCRN director, Kasim Yawa, expressed gratitude to the management of NITDA for imparting the rudiments of ICT and the benefits of the digital economy.
