FG Inaugurates Digital Economy Community Of Practice
Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja
In an effort to enhance public and private partnership for inclusive and sustainable digital growth and development in Nigeria, the Federal Government has inaugurated a digital economy community of practice in the country.
The Sustainable and inclusive digital transformation project tagged Digital Access Project, DAP, is implemented by the Policy Innovation Centre with funding from the UK government under the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
In a keynote address at the inauguration ceremony, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, said Nigeria has achieved about 61% in building indigenous digital content that hopefully by December this year, most Nigerians would have tapped into the project.
He said that Nigeria aspires to be one of the top 20 digital economies in the world with digital technologies integrated into all sectors of the economy and for that to happen, all hands must be on deck with collaboration from all.
According to the Minister, Nigeria unveiled the National digital economy project in 2019 and has so far, drawn 21 policies to drive the project and they all have grown in leaps.
The Political Director, UK government, Jonathan Bacon, also in a keynote speech, said technology brings in a huge opportunities for countries around the world but also poses danger hence the need to build collaboration with countries including Nigeria.
He said that technology can be used to bring people out of poverty especially as it is used in tackling various problems of the world adding that Nigeria has shown potentials to implementing tech agreements.
For some organisers of the programme, including the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Laoye Jaiyeola, Senior Policy Specialist, PIC, Mayokun Adediran, among others, the alliance between public and private stakeholders in Nigeria’s digital economy is crucial for the growth and development of the sector.
They believe that for the digital economy to thrive, both sectors must work collaboratively to create an environment that supports innovation and drives digital entrepreneurship.
