Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched its ICT Consumer Protection Forum aimed at solving citizen’s grievances as it relates to indigenous ICT products and services.
This was disclosed by the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, at webinar themed: “Virtual Digital Services Consumer Protection Forum”, where a draft framework on alternative dispute resolution for the ICT sector was presented for review.
The DG, who was represented by NITDA’s Director of IT Infrastructure Solutions, Usman Gambo Abdullahi, said the initiative is critical to the success of NITDA’s aim of building qualitative indigenous content for consumption in the ICT sector.
Abdullahi stated that the multiple complaints and quality of ICT products and services has lead to the conceptualisation of the consumer forum as well as drafting the alternative dispute resolution in ICT framework.
He stressed that leaving such issues unattended, leads to lack of confidence in local ICT products and services, which in turn translates to very low patronage. The DG said that NITDA’s aim is to protect digital products and services for consumers while also encouraging Nigerians to buy indigenous ICT products.
He further noted that during Coronavirus pandemic, NITDA has been playing its role in ensuring that it maximizes opportunities embedded in the challenges posed by the pandemic. He said government has taken over the challenges of the information technology sector from a holistic point of view.