MR Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has urged stakeholders to adopt the development of digital technologies to enhance economic growth in Africa.
Inuwa, at an event to mark the ninth Annual Summit of Africa Information and Communications Technologies Alliance (AfICTA), said digital technologies were prevalent in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
With the theme, ‘Accelerated Digitalisation for Economic Revolution in Africa: Prospects and Challenges’, Inuwa was represented by Mr Salisu Kaka, Acting Director, Digital Economy Department of the agency.
Inuwa said: “implementing a nationwide digital transformation is not a straightforward venture. It is plagued with intricacies, risks and other encumbrances.
“African leaders must champion digitalisation by first showing commitment and willingness to engender and support the culture of digitalisation.”
The DG added that Nigeria was regarded as Africa’s largest ICT market with 82 per cent of the continent’s telecommunication subscribers and 29 per cent of internet usage.
He added that Sub-Saharan Africa was projected to be the fastest-growing region with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.6 per cent and an additional subscribers enrolment of over 167 million in five years.
Inuwa stated that the adoption of digital technologies might help increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any country.
He said the development of digital technologies would further help diversify its exports, thus increase sources of foreign exchange earnings.
“Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) document by Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has presented strategic pillars necessary for the nation’s digitalisation drive.
“This includes Developmental Regulation, Digital literacy and Skills, Solid Infrastructure, Service Infrastructure, Digital Society and Emerging Technologies, and Indigenous content development and adoption.
“NITDA has developed a Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024) toward implementation of the NDEPS,” he added.
Inuwa further said there were various initiatives and programmes, designed to give effect to the SRAP document, while sister agencies under the Ministry had also developed their strategic initiatives.
He said that accelerating the digitalisation of the economy of any nation was not the responsibility of the government alone.
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