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Nigeria is working on blockchain adoption strategies for the health industry and other sectors, said Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.
He spoke this week in Dubai, UAE at the ongoing 40th edition of the GITEX Technology Week. The five-day expo and conference ends today, Thursday 19, December 2020.
Blockchain could transform the health industry, provide real-time information on patients’ medical records, drug prescription and other details to enhance the delivery of effective medical services to those who need them, the NITDA’s boss said at the Panel Discussion: Blockchain and the Future of Healthcare.
While responding to a question, he said blockchain “will bring about increased security, privacy and interoperability of data in the sector. Interoperability is a challenge in our healthcare, because if today you visit one healthcare facility and tomorrow you want your data transferred to another facility, you might have to repeat some of the tests or diagnoses there.
“Blockchain Technology is going to transform the healthcare sector by keeping the records secured; not just the patient’s record, it transverses the areas of medical records.”
According to Abdullahi, blockchain is a foundational technology to drive a lot of solutions and services including healthcare delivery.
“Opportunities are vast for blockchain. Lots of startups from Nigeria are focusing on blockchain and some are here in GITEX,” he added.
According to him, Nigeria identifies three emerging technologies including AI and blockchain because of their potential to create volume and incite value particularly in terms of derivable from the fourth industrial revolution.
He added that Nigeria was already leveraging on youth and broadband to push usage of new technologies including blockchain which is utilisable across sectors from oil and gas, healthcare to education.
Another panellist, Professor Olinga Taeed of Birmingham City University, agreed with Abdullahi.
“Blockchain is a 100 trillion dollar industry. It moves digital value from A to B. It is the biggest step in the area of health. More importantly, mental health is a key area that blockchain will demonstrate its efficacy,” said Professor Taeed.
