By Chinenye Anuforo, Lagos
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has said that a country can only prosper when it creates a strong technological ecosystem, a common feature among innovative countries.
The DG stated this at the Agency’s headquarters when he received a delegation from the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) led by its president, Dr Ikechukwu Nnamani.
He observed that even though it has been reported that Nigeria spends more on telecommunications services beyond what it spends on food and health, more still needs to be done to grow the sector.
He emphasised that the federal government is providing the enabling environment in terms of policy, guidelines and regulations by involving relevant stakeholders to achieve the three key focus areas that drive the digital economy. The focus areas, he said, are; lower Internet and connectivity, digital identity and digital payment system.
Inuwa noted that these and other initiatives are being worked on by the Honourable Minister of communications and Digital economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami).
The DG particularly noted that the minister is working at top speed to address the challenges that may impact the smooth operation of the broadband policy and the rights of way.
The NITDA boss also urged the leadership of the ATCON that as the umbrella body of critical stakeholders in the telecommunication industry, it should ensure that Nigeria’s drive to a digital economy is achieved and achieved fast.
Speaking earlier, ATCON President Nnamani indicated that the organisation promotes the convergence of technology and services and its membership profile is made up of indigenous and multinational telecommunications and ICT companies operating in Nigeria.
He sought for all possible collaborations with NITDA given its unique place not only as the agency in charge of regulating Information technology in Nigeria, but also the agency to drive and deepen information technology in the country.
ATCON is a professional non-profit umbrella organisation of telecommunication companies in Nigeria formed by technocrats in the industry to facilitate and accelerate growth and development of the Nigerian telecommunications industry.