Nigeria: Communication Minister stresses on expansion of digital economy

Nigeria's Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami has urged the 36 states of Nigeria to key into the country's policy of national digital economy and strategy designed to fast-track growth.

This is based on Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari's previous launch of the National Digital Economy Policy on November 29, 2019 under the Ministry of Communications, APA News noted. The policy is part of key requirements of the e-government master plan. It (the master plan) cites "to create a digital transformation technical working group to ensure seamless and coordinated implementation of projects, programmes and policies."

The Minister, Isa Pantami said the implementation of that digital economy would not be possible without the support and willingness of state governors. He said this in his presentation to the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) in Abuja on Thursday, January 23.

"We are here to encourage them to key into the National Digital Economy policy and strategy for a digital Nigeria. Our target is to achieve a digital Nigeria in 2030. So, the work is not only for the federal government, it is for federal, state and local governments. We presented the policy of digital economy, we outlined the eight pillars and the role they are supposed to play as state governors," he also said.

According to Pantami, the states were expected to indicate interest, while the Federal Government through the ministry in collaboration with its agencies, set up a team on how such states could be supported. Each state was supposed to develop its digital economy strategy based on their peculiar challenges and the level it has attained, he further added.

"We are in partnership now with International Business Machine (IBM), World Bank, Africa Development Bank and many more, that are willing to train millions of Nigerians," he emphasized.