Walter Ukaegbu, Abuja
Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has stated that the value of the nation’s digital economy is valued at over $16billion having started dominating the economy of the world.
Speaking during a chat with correspondents on the sidelines after inaugurating a committee on National Digital Economy Policy Pantami explained that according to World Economic Forum by 2020, 60 per cent of the world’s economy is going to be digitalised.
“Countries are coming up with policies and strategies for digital economy. It is because of this and based on the wisdom of President Mohammadu Buhari that this idea of digital economy policy and strategy (NDEPS) came about,” he said.
According to him in October 2019 Buhari had re-designated the Ministry from Ministry of Communication to Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and later on October 2019 which was officially approved at the Federal Economic Council (FEC).
The minister further stressed that the implementation of the document started about 24 hours after FEC approval.
Throwing light on the pillar structure Pantami, said among them were solid infrastructure which focuses more on broad band penetration, which made the ministry set up a presidential committee that worked day and night and produced another broadband roadmap 2020-2025.
He said since then there are many pillars that they have started implementing which the inaugurated committee would be going to look at critically. For stance the developmental regulation, which has a critical role to play, he informed that the NCC and NITDA are expected to come up with subsidiary legislation instruments that will make our digital economy policy and strategy more implementable.
Others include digital literacy where parastatals within and outside the ministry have roles to play in addition to solid infrastructure centres on broadband penetration data centres and many more.
He stated that they also include service infrastructure, digital services promotion and development, software infrastructure, digital society and emerging technology.
Others include indigenous content, development and promotion which have been launched by the president and currently being implemented.