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Tag: ICT

  • Expert advice: 4 ways Nigeria can ensure tech boosts development

    Expert advice: 4 ways Nigeria can ensure tech boosts development

    An expert at the London School of Economics and Australian National University has presented four ways governments can ensure technology boosts development, which TheNewsGuru, after strong consideration, is of the opinion that the Nigerian government should adapt to boost development in the country.

    Dr George Barker and a team of other experts, in ICT-centric economic growth, innovation and job-creation, documented current thinking about how information and communication technologies (ICTs) can contribute to realization of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    In a short synopsis published by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), George asserts that government policy affecting ICTs can have a major effect on achieving the SDGs, and that there are four key areas where governments need to establish legal, regulatory, budgetary, and policy frameworks to ensure that ICTs make an optimal contribution to sustainable development.

    1. Measure and monitor progress

    The first area relates to outcome measurement, policy review and target setting. Four of the SDGs are outcome-related, and highlight important drivers of the well-being of individuals’ over time including: poverty reduction (SDG 1), gender balance (SDG 5), inequality reduction (SDG 10) and economic growth (SDG 8).

    Governments need to accurately measure progress achieved against these outcome SDGs over time, better investigate the causes for this progress, set targets for improvement, and monitor the effectiveness of policy. ICTs and so-called “big data” have a major role to play in this.

    2. Use ICTs to enhance government performance

    The second broad area relates to the organization of Government itself. ICTs can play a central role within Government itself in particular to ensure two of the most critical or foundational SDGs are achieved, namely: “peace, and justice for all” (SDG 16), as well as peaceful and mutually productive “global partnerships” (SDG 17).

    E-government is the term given to the use of ICTs in facilitating better government performance. Governments need to embrace innovation and utilize ICTs to deliver effective services and engage people in decision-making processes so as to establish lasting foundations for peace and justice for all.

    The 2016 United Nations E-Government Survey highlighted a positive global trend towards higher levels of e-government. ICTs can also help in UN SDG 17 that seeks to “strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development”. This is because ICTs are a means for information sharing and communication between countries. A key challenge in this area, however, is ensuring states cooperate to address cyber-security threats including cyber-war.

    3. Adopt enabling policies for ICT markets

    The third broad area relates to government policy directly affecting ICT markets. There are two broad subsets of related ICT markets here: i) ICT infrastructure markets, and ii) ICT applications and content markets. Together these ICT markets can make a significant contribution to two key SDGs: SDG 9 which aims to “build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”; and SDG 12 which aims to “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”.

    On the role of Government in ICT infrastructure markets, attention focuses on the scope for considerable improvements in relation to state ownership of key telecommunications network assets, and in the extent and quality of spectrum licensing, competition law, access regulation and universal service obligations (USO). In ICT applications and content markets the focus is on the government’s role in intellectual-property rights (IPR), privacy law, and platform regulation generally.

    For example, governments who own the state telecommunications network need to provide credible commitments to convince potential domestic or foreign ICT-market entrants that neither government policy nor the regulatory environment will expose them to excessive regulatory risk or uncertainty. At the same time, governments should avoid abusing its control of assets.

    4. Adopt enabling policies for non-ICT markets

    The fourth and last broad area is Government policy in relation to non-ICT markets that nevertheless indirectly affect ICT adoption, investment and utilization.

    There are three main categories of relevant non-ICT markets highlighted by the remaining UN’s SDGs, where Government policies currently impose barriers to securing a greater ICT contribution to sustainable development:

    1. Markets that meet basic needs, including markets for: food (SDG 2), water (SDG 6), energy (SDG 7) and the services of cities and settlements (SDG 11).
    2. Markets for human services: including health (SDG 3) and education (SDG 4);
    3. Markets for environmental goods and services that are currently either missing, or need to be significantly improved: including climate (SDG13), oceans and seas (SDG 14) and terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15)

    Government policy on these non-ICT markets are having major and largely unforeseen effects in limiting the benefits of ICT. In non-ICT markets policies designed for the pre-Internet era appear to be preventing the development of smart agriculture and smart food markets, smart water markets, smart energy markets, smart cities, smart transport, smart health, smart education and smart manufacturing markets–which are both more efficient and environmentally friendly.

    For this reason, governments urgently need to review and adapt their existing policies on non-ICT markets to ensure that they better suit the Internet era, thereby enabling cutting-edge ICTs to play their role in sustainable development.

     

  • Intels donates computers to children with disability

    Intels Nigeria, an oil and gas logistics firm, has donated 12 computers with access to broadband internet to children with disabilities.

    Ngozi Kingsley-Opara, Intels’ ICT Training Specialist, said in a statement that the beneficiaries were pupils of Compassion Centre, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    “The children of the centre are also currently undergoing ICT training to prepare them for a well-rounded future.

    “The centre, which has been supported by Intels for more than three decades, was established and managed by Religious Sisters of Charity.

    “It was set up as a home to support, educate and rehabilitate physically-challenged children in the society,” she said.

    Kingsley-Opara said the children would benefit tremendously from the new computer centre and the knowledge of ICT in the course of their studies.

    “Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is important in a child’s educational pursuit because studies have shown that it enables children gain knowledge faster and attain learning independence.

    “Our desire is to bring online libraries and other global learning resources at the disposal of the children.

    “It is our belief that their physical challenges or humble background should not deprive them of readily available learning resources.

    “They should not be deprived, by any means, of the opportunity to belong to the future,” she said.

     

  • Q/A: FG mulls new national technology council

    Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has said plans are underway by the federal government to set up a national technology and innovation council to cater for technological advancement in the country.

    Vice President Osinbajo stated this in an interview with journalists at Co-Creation Hub during his visit to ICT/Innovation hubs/companies in Lagos on Tuesday.

    “One of the things we are trying to do is to set up a council of sorts. Already, we have an industrial and competitiveness council. We want to look at doing one for technology and for innovation as well,” he said.

    Osinbajo said technology will massively dictate the future of the country, while also stressing that the future is here already.

    “There is so much going on, so many young people, and so many creative ideas. It’s just incredible. And that tells you what the future is going to look like. Already, as we always say, the future is here.

    “I have seen for myself the sheer creativity. Practically every type of enterprise has been disrupted by the technologies that we see. And a lot of the payment systems that we have been seeing, a lot of the technology companies that we see are doing incredible things.

    “A lot of the technologies and innovators we’ve seen got the attention and to where they are by being innovative and being creative. So, the only way to keep ahead of the curve, the way to keep ahead of anyone else is by increasingly innovative and by finding newer ways of doing things better.

    “My advice is that the only way to keep ahead is by ensuring that you are ahead in terms of innovations and technology,” the Vice President stated.

    Question: What’s your impression of the seven Technology & Innovation hubs you visited?

    Vice President: It has been an exciting day. We’ve been, as you said, to a number of technology enterprises and hubs. We’ve been to Paystack, Andela, Flutterwave, Workstation, FarmCrowdy, African Fintech Foundry, and here we are at Co-Creation Hub.

    What strikes one immediately is the sheer amount of innovation that is available and is going on. And I must confess that it is unbelievable that so much is going on.

    I have been talking for a few months now about some of the businesses and the hubs that I visited today. I had a chance to chat and talk about various things. What strikes you is that there is so much going on, so many young people; so many creative ideas. It’s just incredible. And that tells you what the future is going to look like. Already, as we always say, the future is here. I have seen for myself the sheer creativity. Practically every type of enterprise has been disrupted by the technologies that we see. And a lot of the payment systems that we have been seeing, a lot of the technology companies that we see are doing incredible things.

    Question: How can the Federal Government harness these tech talents?

    Vice President: As you know, I chair the Economic Management Team of the Federal Government. I’m also chair of the National Economic Council. Technology is obviously the future; the future of our economy, the future of commerce and the future of industry. We recognize this in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and that’s one the reasons why I am here in the company of the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, the DG of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and, of course, the Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, and Commerce. We recognize that this is the way commerce is going to develop and that is why we are taking, first of all, such an active interest in their personal engagement.

    We are also trying to see how we can collaborate, how we can partner with all of these enterprises and, in some cases, with membership organizations they have in order to be able to create the kind of environment that makes it possible for this to happen seamlessly and in a way that we actually can have a multiplication or replication of all we are seeing today.

    So, we are collaborating already with a number of hubs and also with some that we are starting. For example, we are doing some work in partnership with Civic Hub in Abuja. We are doing some with the Humanitarian Hub in the North East, where we are focusing on the humanitarian challenges in the North East of Nigeria, and creating technology and innovation that could be helpful in solving some of their problems. We also have a Climate Change Hub in collaboration with the Lagos Business School. And, of course, we intend to collaborate and partner with Co-Creation Hub and several other hubs.

    The point is that we are anxious not to get in the way. Government can sometimes get in the way of enterprise. What we really need to do is to partner and to work hand in hand with them so that we help in whatever way, in whatever difficulty that they have. In some case, it might be credit; in some others, it may just be in creating and ensuring the right policy.

    So, one of the things that we are trying to do is to set up a council of sorts. Already, we have an industrial and competitiveness council. We want to look at doing one for technology and for innovation as well so that we bring in some of the key players and thinkers around technology working with government and government officials to develop policy and various ways we can help them to do what they are doing better.

    Question: Advice to existing and potential tech developers in the country?

    Vice President: I’m going to borrow from the wise Minister of Science and Technology, who, earlier in the day in our discussion, said something. It is that a lot of those who are doing these enterprises, a lot of the technologies and innovators we’ve seen got the attention and got to where they are by being increasingly innovative and creative.

    So, the only way to keep ahead of the curve, the way to keep ahead of anyone else is by increasingly innovative and by finding newer ways of doing things better. My advice is that the only way to keep ahead is by ensuring that you are ahead in terms of innovations and technology. From what I’ve seen here today, it is obvious that these guys do not have any plans to rest on their oars, as they say. They certainly intend to keep ahead. I’m excited to say that the advice they need is the advice they’ve already taken. I hope that when we come back to see them, what we see here would be much more advanced than what we are seeing here today.

     

  • We’re committed to carrying out reforms in ICT sector – Minister

    Mr Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communications, says the ICT Roadmap, if well implemented, will facilitate the development of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry.

    The Minister expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to the reform of ICT sector in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He said the implementation of the ICT Roadmap of 2017 to 2020, would also help to increase the sector’s contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP) through improved and better service delivery.

    He said that the roadmap came about as a result of views, proposals and recommendations of various stakeholders in the industry as to where the industry should be heading to.

    According to him, the roadmap defines the different roles that the different agencies of the ministry should undertake in order to use ICT to develop Nigeria.

    “The time NIPOST is reformed and became fully commercialised, it would have not less than five new companies.

    “One of them is NIPOST Banking and Insurance Company, NIPOST Property and Development Company, NIPOST Transport and Logistics Company, NIPOST e-Commerce Services and NIPOST e-Government Services,” he said.

    Shittu said the document also recommended two additional satellites for NIGCOMSAT in order to expand the infrastructure of the agency which currently has one satellite in orbit.

    He said by the time the agency’s infrastructure was consolidated, it would stop Nigerian entities from patronising foreign satellite companies, thereby reducing capital flight from the country.

    He, however, noted that having complied with the objectives of the roadmap, the supervisory, mentoring and regulatory roles of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had improved substantially with regards to the telecom operations.

    ‘’With regards to the internet operations, NITDA as a supervisor and regulator has also improved tremendously having regards to the ideas that are contained in the roadmap,” he added.

    On what the ministry is doing on issue of importation of fake and sub-standard phones into Nigeria, the minister said plans were underway to bring-up a legal framework against such practice.

    “For now, the thinking is still on as to how to bring a legislation which will enforce the customisation of phones that are coming in,” he said.

    He however acknowledged that the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Customs Service had a lot to do in ensuring that the right products were brought into the country.

    “And you will agree with me that it is not really the business of this ministry.

    “It is the business of the SON and of the Customs to ensure that only the right things are brought in and the appropriate customs duties are paid on them,” he said.

    Shittu said he would love to be remembered as a minister who was the most acceptable by the stakeholders in the ICT industry and a minister who was ready to welcome every new idea by everybody.

    “I want to be remembered as a minister who came here, who was the most accessible minister by members of the general public; the minister who saw himself not as a boss but as a servant of the public.

    “And a minister, who was the most acceptable by the stakeholders in the ICT industry.

    “I am happy to say I have already achieved that because initially when I was appointed, stakeholders protested because I was not an ICT person but barely one and half years thereafter, I was given an award of fellow of the Nigerian Computer Society.

    “So a minister in whose time, NIPOST became repositioned, became reformed and became commercialised to such an extent that new companies never heard of in the history of any postal service, became established for Nigeria.

    “So, these are some of the things I hope before I leave office I would have achieved and much more,” he said.

     

  • NITDA trains Northwestern women on ICT

    National Information Development Agency (NITDA) has trained 111 Northwestern women on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Jigawa, the agency’s Director General, Dr Isa Pantami, said on Sunday.

    Pantami made the disclosure at the closing ceremony of the training in Dutse.

    He said the beneficiaries were drawn from seven states of North West.

    He added that the training was part of the agency’s initiative on ICT capacity building for women in the North West and NITDA’s intervention to develop the capacity of women in ICT.

    The director general, who described ICT skill as critical for prosperity and economic wellbeing of the nation, noted that the training was also to create jobs and promote self-reliance among women in the seven North West states.

    He announced that each of the 111 trainees was given a mini laptop computer by the agency.

    Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa said the state government would continue to partner with the agency in areas of digital job creation and e-learning.

    Badaru said Jigawa had excelled in the area of ICT with the establishment of E-Learning centre in Hadejia town, Hadejia Local Government Area, School of Islamic and Legal Studies Ringim in Ringim Local Government Area, Digital Job Creation Centre at Government Day Science Secondary School Lautai and Government Day Secondary School Maigatari, among others.

    He added that with support from NITDA, Jogawa Government also established E-Learning Library at Bunyaminu Usman Polytechnic in Hadejia Local Government Area worth N100 million.

    Meanwhile, some beneficiaries of the training, Firdausi Lamido from Kaduna State and Hawwa’u Shehu, commended NITDA for the gesture and pledged to use the computer judiciously.

    Lamido said the skills and knowledge acquired would make her become self reliant and productive.

    Shehu said “we were taught how to design and produce calendars, stickers, invitation cards and many more.

    “In fact, we were taught how to do a lot of things to earn serious money from the comfort of our homes.”

     

  • Smart cities initiative not a mirage, says FG

    The Federal Government says it is committed to its plan to create smart cities in the country, saying Nigerians should not be pessimistic about the move.

    The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, who at smart cities multi-stakeholders summit last year said the government planned to create smart cities in order to reshape the way public service is managed, gave the assurance on Thursday.

    Smart city is a municipality that uses ICT to increase operational efficiency, share information with the public and improve both the quality of government services and citizen welfare.

    Shittu, who disagreed that the plan might turn out to be a mirage due to electricity and other infrastructural problems in the country, added that the project was achievable.

    His words: “We do know that electricity is very key to developing smart cities but it is not only about electricity.

    “Smart cities involve the transport system in our localities, communities and states. It involves the sanitary disposal system, it involves the electricity system.

    “It involves even the security system to ensure that there are CCTV cameras all over so that people who commit crime are captured.

    ‘’It is even about your sanitation and environment. How do you manage your sanitation? How do you ensure that your waste products are disposed properly? For that you don’t need electricity!

    ‘’You need to imbibe manners and characteristics that make you look like decent people. It is about town planning. In building houses, you don’t make your communities chocked up.

    ‘’There must be proper town planning supervision to ensure that when buildings are being constructed in the communities, they leave room for fresh air, they leave room for vehicular movement, among others.

    The minister said the government was intensifying effort toward ensuring stable power supply in the country.

    ‘’So it is not a thing that we can be pessimistic about. Of course, you must also appreciate that in this government since it came onboard, has doubled the electricity mega watts.

    ‘’Before the government came Nigeria was producing 3,500 mega watts but today, we are producing 7, 500MW.

    “So that is also an improvement and an incentive to imbibing the smart cities culture,” he said.

    Shittu, however, assured that by the end of another two years, the electricity generation in the country would have been 10, 000 mega watts.

    ‘’So smart city idea is an idea which is for our own benefit and it will bring about comfort to our lives.

    ‘’And to that extent, I think everybody will want to be part of this new revolutionary way of planning and managing our cities,” he said.

    He explained that the idea was a multi-lateral philosophy with the view to involving states and local governments to buy into it and implement it.

    ‘’And we have established a yearly award ceremony so that states and local governments can be assessed to know how far they have complied and how far they have keyed into the smart cities idea.

    ‘’So it is not about Federal Government putting up a structure here or putting up an infrastructure there. It is an idea we have sold to Nigerians, particularly the states and local governments,” he said.

    He said the ministry planned to have another conference late this year or early next year for reports to be received from various states and local governments to know how far they have gone with regards to implementing the smart cities idea.

     

  • Over 10,500 business transactions carried out daily at Computer Village – CAPDAN

    About 10,500 business transactions are carried out daily at the Computer Village in Lagos, Mr Ahmed Ojikutu, the President of Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN) has said.

    Ojikutu disclosed this on Friday saying that these transactions were carried out by about 25,000 traders in 3,500 shops.

    “These business transactions are carried out by middle men, big dealers and even small retailers. Computer Village generates about N1.5 billion on a daily basis from both offline and online business transactions.

    “It is a tremendous job keeping businessmen and women under one umbrella, especially because the larger percentage of the people are educated and wealthy,’’ Ojikutu said.

    According to him, activities at the Computer Village go beyond selling mobile devices.

    “Going by the kind of transactions and money that change hands at the Computer Village, it can be described as a hub of technology-based activities from the level of repairs, refurbishment and software-related activities,’’ the CAPDAN president said.

    He said that the association was now collaborating more with government agencies and ministries than before to get their support.

    Ojikutu said that the association was also working with the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), Ministry of Communication and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

    “The Lagos State Government has given us a lot of support, but we need the government to do more because real time technology would be the only driving force that can take Nigeria to the next level of development.’’

    He said that the state government’s plan to relocate the Computer Village would materialise very soon, adding that the proposed site would be a well-planned ICT park.

    Ojikutu said that that there would be free WiFi and a general generator for power supply at the new site.

    He said that the association was making efforts to ensure that phone hand sets were produced in Nigeria, adding that the association’s partnership with the NCC was to create an avenue where young Nigerians would be trained to become technical experts.

    “What is hindering the production of phones in Nigeria is knowledge. We need to move from knowing how to use a mobile phone to building a panel.

    “The moment we start training the younger ones on how to place a micro-chip on a board and how to write a programme to adding a screen and led, automatically we have started developing ways to build a phone.

    “As we intensify efforts towards training our younger ones on ways to build phones, we hope to develop quality hardware gurus,’’ Ojikutu said.

    He said that the market for new phones in Nigeria was bustling as 95 per cent of Nigerians, who needed phones, went for new ones.

    “New phones are what people buy majorly, except for some Nigerians who, due to desire for phones that are in vogue and has all the features, will buy used ones at a lesser price,’’ the CAPDAN president said.

     

  • MTN makes part payments of N330bn SIM cards fine

    MTN makes part payments of N330bn SIM cards fine

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said that MTN has paid N165 billion out of the N330 billion fine imposed on it due to its inability to disconnect improperly registered SIM cards.

    Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC said this on Monday in Abuja when MTN Group, led by its Chairman in Nigeria, Dr Pascal Dozie visited the commission.

    In October 2015, the telecom regulator imposed a fine of N1.04 trillion on MTN Nigeria for not complying with government’s rule on deactivation of unregistered SIM cards.

    Also, the fine was imposed on MTN for not disconnecting about 5.1 million improperly registered lines in its network within the stipulated deadline.

    After several appeals and negotiations including diplomatic intervention by the South African government, the fine was reduced to N330billion.

    MTN initially made a commitment payment of N50billion to the government while the remaining balance of N280 billion was to be paid in six tranches in accordance with the agreements between the regulator and MTN.

    “I am happy to inform you that our agreement with MTN on how and when to pay the fine has been adhered to.

    “Just last month, March, we received a cheque of N55billion from MTN as part of the fine payment plan.

    “This brought the total fine paid by MTN Nigeria to N165billion, that is, more than half of the fine

    “It is a whopping sum of money and they have not defaulted and these payments they are making is consistent with the terms of agreement we reached with them,” he said.

    He said that the installmental payment was in line with the terms of agreement reached between MTN and the regulatory body.

    According to Danbatta, the fine is aimed at ensuring that it is not business as usual but to ensure that the rules of engagement are respected.

    “It is also to ensure that the rules governing the telecom sector of the economy is adhered to,” he said.

    The NCC boss said that the commission would continue to cooperate with the telecom company because of its major contributions to the economic and digital growth of the nation’s economy.

    Earlier, Chairman of MTN Nigeria said Nigeria was one of the largest contributors to its market and the visit was to cement the relationship between MTN and NCC.

    Dozie appealed to NCC to auction more spectrums to further open up the ICT space and improve the country’s economy.

     

  • ICT expert advises Smartphone users to be familiar with security features

    Mr Nosa Igiebor, a Mobile Engineer with Microsoft Nigeria, has advised Smartphone users to familiarise themselves with security features in their phones to safeguard them against hackers or theft.

    Igiebor gave the advice on Friday in Abuja that users should also visit the official Android website to learn more about their phones and the security features in them.

    A mobile engineer develops and builds software applications for mobile devices; some can also specialise in Android or Internal Operating Systems (IOS) applications.

    “Cyber-criminals are increasingly targeting your mobile device because it contains valuable data such as banking passwords and usernames, e-commerce and social media log-ins, and personal information that can be used in identity theft scams.

    “ The good news is that a few simple best practices can safeguard your data against the most common cyber-threats, including malware, phishing and hacking.

    “There are a few simple steps users can take to improve Smartphone security,’’ he said.

    The expert urged Smartphone owners to always lock their phones using a pin, saying “it is simple, safe and reliable and remains the best way to safeguard devices when not in use.’’

    “The biggest mobile security risk is the loss or theft of one’s Smartphone and in such a case it is better to prevent a thief from accessing personal data such as social media, online banking details or by making unexpected calls from the lost phone.

    “It is better to lock our mobile devices with a code or fingerprint recognition,’’ he said.

    Igiebor discouraged phone users from downloading applications from unofficial websites but should stick to getting apps from an official store such as the Google Play Store.

    “All Android apps undergo rigorous security testing before appearing in the Google Play Store. That means it is rare for a third party app to make its way onto the Google Play Store which has not been through security checks.

    “Phone users can also install an antivirus app for extra peace of mind. There are some good, free of charge offerings like Avast Mobile Security Antivirus, as well as affordable paid-for apps from the likes of Trend Micro and Norton Mobile Security.

    “Google’s own Google Play Protect does a good job of scanning your device and keeping it clear of malware and you can also install a third-party antivirus app that identifies known threats and prevents them from compromising your device or data,‘’ he said.

    The expert also advised phone users to turn off wireless connections when not in use and to be wary of online log-ins.

    “Turn off wireless connections that you’re not using such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

    “ This will not only stop hackers from accessing data on your phone, it will also help you conserve battery life,’’ he said.

    According to him, the Android Smartphone is designed to be secure and includes many features to protect user’s personal information from thieves and scammers.

     

  • ICT has overtaken oil, gas in job creation – Atiku

    Mr Samuel Atiku, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) expert, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to adequately exploit the potential of ICT to develop the youth and create more employment.

    Atiku, Head of Research, BudgiT, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the government could include youth-driven, ICT-based programmes in its economic diversification agenda.

    BudgiT is a civic startup that liberates budgets and public data from an inactive state into a more engaging format, mostly through infographics and interactive application with the aim of improving civic discussions and institutional reform.

    Atiku said: “In Nigeria, about 75 per cent of the population is below the age of 40.

    “It is not out of place for the government to have agenda to train about 10 million youths to become software developers within two years.

    “We are yet to take full advantage of the possibilities of an ICT-driven education in Nigeria.

    “In the U.S., for instance, there is a labour plan to train about three million people to become software developers.’’

    Atiku noted that ICT sector cut into education, publishing, broadcasting, newspapering and others.

    “Information communication and technology is bigger than it looks.

    “According to research, the universality of ICT has made it an indispensable media for transacting every aspect of human and material resources in the world.

    “This trend of development has provided significant changes in the lives of thousands of youths in the developing world,’’ he told NAN.

    Atiku said that rapid development in

    ICT in Nigeria had provided enormous job opportunities and contributed meaningfully to national development.

    Atiku told NAN that the ICT industry had immensely increased Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    According to Atiku, the ICT sector in Nigeria had in recent time provided more employment opportunities than the country’s oil and gas sector.

    NAN reports that the Nigeria Communications Commission recently said that the quarterly contribution of the ICT sector to Nigeria’s GDP increased to N1.6 trillion from N1.4 trillion, making the sector to be contributing nearly 10 per cent to the GDP annually.

    He added that more infrastructure should be put in place to increase ICT’s contribution to the country’s GDP.

    According to Atiku, infrastructure in the ICT sector at the moment are fragmented.

    He added that universities were not teaching technology adequately, advising that the Federal Government’s diversification agenda should be approached from an education perspective.

    He told NAN that there were still issues surrounding the payment system in the country.

    “If somebody wants to transfer money to you from the U.S., for example, the process is still very rigorous.

    “The government needs to work closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria to adopt payment systems that would allow seamless transactions,” he said.

    He said that the country would need to run an open economy to lead in ICT in Africa.

    Mr Jide Awe, Chairman, Conferences Committee, Nigeria Computer Society, also told NAN that the ICT sector had contributed significantly to the country’s GDP.

    Awe said that much employment opportunities had been created through innovation in the ICT sector.

    He also said that a lot of transactions had been made seamless through the use of ICT.

    “In the financial sector, the systems of payments are more efficient; money transfer can be done online within the comfort of your home.

    “One cannot ignore the improvements in infrastructure because, now, we have internet access which has enabled creation of applications such as financial and tech apps.

    “The telecom sector, especially, has created tonnes of jobs for our youths,’’ he said.

    He also noted that ICT cut across governance, financial system, educational, agriculture and more.

    “ICT is becoming a norm; this is evident in countries such as Singapore, Japan, China and India, where ICT is making tremendous impacts.

    He urged a more conducive environment for local ICT production.

    “Right now, most of the ICT contributions we have are dependent on foreign ideas.

    “The government needs to create an environment for more local ICT production,” he said.