The Federal Government through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has engaged stakeholders in the information technology sector to develop a robust digital economy system in Nigeria.
Speaking during ICT stakeholders’ engagement programme organised by NITDA in Ilorin, Kwara State, the agency’s director-general, Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi, explained that the engagement provides a veritable platform to pool knowledge, experience and expertise and to co-create solutions, articulate strategies and extend its services to all stakeholders, especially at the grassroots.
“Throughout the 21-year journey of the agency,” he said “we have had to look continuously at our mandate, reset our vision and invigorate our mission. We have moved from being a highly centralised organisation to a functionally decentralised Institution. We aspire to be an organisation closer to the stakeholders.
“We are also increasingly becoming a process-driven, data-dependent, and results-oriented organisation. Our strategies and choices are pursued while always ensuring financial prudence – even in the most turbulent times and ensuring that we meet the objectives of a national IT governance, foremost of which is delivering value to our stakeholders.
“These are in tandem with our core values of people first, innovativeness, and professionalism. Indeed, that is why we are here today. Our stakeholders come first and we must strive to deliver value to you. That would not be possible without listening to you and speaking with you to get clarity on your perspectives, aspirations, and needs,” he added.
Abdullahi hailed the agency’s strides under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and stakeholders. “We have implemented programmes such as National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA), National Adopted School for Smart Education (NASSE), Digital Literacy Capacity Training for Persons Living with Disabilities, support for ICT innovation hubs, the building of community IT centres, development of state IT policies and a host of other activities.”
Represented by the agency’s director, zonal offices directorate, Mr. Babajide Ajayi, Abdullahi said the agency has striven to respond appropriately to what Nigeria’s digital economy system needs to grow.
This, he said, has been demonstrated in the strategic actions the agency has taken in the implementation of critical areas of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
“We are aware that we still have a lot to do. Therefore, we are committed to making further progress over the coming year and we look forward to the continued support of all our stakeholders,” he concluded.
On his part, the Kwara State Commissioner for Business Innovation and Technology, Honourable Ibrahim Ajake stated that the role of digital platforms in the evolution of entrepreneurship cannot be overemphasised
He added that digitalisation changes the economics of doing business across the border, bringing down the cost of international interaction and transactions. According to him, updated digital entrepreneurship knowledge and dynamics are one of the major ways Nigerian entrepreneurs can upscale their potential in the global market.
“Digital evolution creates markets and user communities with global scale, providing business with a huge base of potential customers and effective ways to reach them.
“I am confident that the stakeholder’s engagement meeting will be of immense value to the ICT-inclined public and [those who wish to] keep abreast of necessary opportunities to enhance market access to tap into the foreign exchange earnings,” he added.
