President Muhammadu Buhari said Nigeria is forging strategic partnerships towards becoming the main export hub for ICT hardware in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The president stated this while speaking at the flag off of the 2018 e-Nigeria international conference and exhibition organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in Abuja.
Elated that the country recorded 11.81% growth in Information Communications Technology(ICT) sector of the economy in the second quarter of 2018, the President declared that the growth had “challenged the country’s reliance on foreign hardware resulting into the importation of about 80% of ICT hardware through local Distributors of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) by MDAs and other government establishments as well as the need for concerted efforts aimed at reversing the trend”
He said was leveraging on these gains adding that the administration will ensure that government’s ICT procurements remain transparent and align its IT shared vision and policy.
Government efforts will lead to cost savings through promotion of shared services by avoiding duplication and ensuring compatibility of IT systems and improve efficiency in government business.
Other measures will include re-enforcement of the patronage of indigenous companies where capacity exists; and uphold the highest standards for service delivery.
Already government in August issued a new circular as part of its efforts at ensuring full realisation of the above objectives.
“I am pleased to note that this has been taken seriously and stakeholders’ efforts resulted in ICT emerging as one of the key performers of the second quarter of 2018 by recording 11.81% growth.
“It is pleasing to note the efforts by all relevant stakeholders in forging strategic partnerships towards ensuring that Nigeria becomes an export hub for ICT hardware in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Federal government has put in place several policies, including those of NITDA aimed at reorganizing the registration and certification process for OEMs to ensure adherence to world class standards as well as guarantee quality and durable devices are highly commendable.
The Agency is also encouraged to work with relevant regulatory agencies to ensure strict compliance with these new regulatory instruments.
Others include the agency’s work on the Nigerian ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Vision that focuses on the development of Digital Infrastructure, Education Reform, Skills Development and Research and Development as well as supporting the ecosystem is highly commendable.
He said government emphasized the need for the public service to be highly competitive, innovative and digitally-enabled to deliver public services and effectively drive government programs and policies. I note that NITDA and other relevant government agencies have taken this up by creating the enabling environment through the development of policies, frameworks, standards and guidelines.
“ I am aware that some of these regulatory instruments have been subjected to critical scrutiny and revision through a series of stakeholder engagements. Efforts should be intensified at making them public as well as sensitizing public servants and the general public about the value of these regulatory instruments”
The enforcement of the use of the policy on Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and the Bank Verification Number (BVN) and the impact they have made on the administration’s public financial management reforms.
The TSA policy, in addition to the consolidation of accounts and elimination of ghost workers that resulted in a combined monthly savings of about N24.7 billion, facilitated the recovery of huge sums of money including the recent N1.6 billion from a single account.
“These policy initiatives reinforce this administration’s fight against corruption by ensuring transparency and accountability in government business transactions.
“Furthermore, NITDA, in collaboration with the National Social Investment Office (NSIO), is coordinating Federal Government’s initiative of establishing eight (8) Innovation Hubs, one in each of the six Geo-Political Zones and one each in Lagos and Abuja.
These hubs, according to the President, is to facilitate digital capacity building for immediate employment, entrepreneurial skills development, job and wealth creation. All these are aimed at promoting the digital economy in an era of disruptive technology through effective regulations.
He therefore urged that conference to “come up with innovative ideas, workable and implementable recommendations that would help and enhance government’s efforts at creating the enabling environment for the promotion of the digital economy in an era of disruptive technologies, considering our peculiarities as a country”