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Nigeria capacity to grow and be among the top 20 economies in the world depends on her ability to leverage ICT and become part of the global digital economy, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has argued.
Pantami during a presentation with the title: ‘The role of NITDA in Nigeria’s Emerging Digital Economy and Impact on Financial Technology (FINTECH) Innovation’ at the recent Vanguard Financial Technology Conference 2018 Economic Forum Series with the theme: ‘E-conomy: Nigeria’s Emerging Digital Economy and the Role of Financial Technology’ in Lagos affirmed the commitment of NITDA to collaborate with stakeholders in ensuring that Nigeria joins other countries whose economies are driven by digital tools.
“As part of strategies for growth of the digital economy, NITDA in its new roadmap is focusing on seven (7) priority areas namely: IT Regulation, Capacity Building, Promotion of Government Digital Services, Digital Job Creation, Local Content Development and Promotion, Cyber Security and Digital Inclusion.
“It has become harder to delineate between the traditional and digital economy, it is certainly essential for stakeholders and businesses to support government initiatives that seek to address policy issues related to electronic communications infrastructure and services,” said Nigeria’s Chief Information Technology Officer. He was represented at the event by Dr. Femi Adeluyi of the Corporate Planning and Strategy Department in NITDA.
Pantami said the agency will continue to regulate, render advisory services and incentivize information technology products, processes and services for the general well-being of the country.
The Vanguard Financial Technology Conference 2018 Economic Forum Series is designed to examine the pathway of Nigeria’s fintech sub-sector and its impact on the economy. Other speakers include the Governor of the Central Bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, and the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, Mr. Yusuf Kazaure.
