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The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has called on Spanish investors to leverage opportunities in Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
Abdullahi said this as a panelist at the just concluded Nigeria-Spanish Business and Trade Forum, in Madrid, Spain where he reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to digital literacy which he says will in the long run bridge the global talent gap in the ICT sector and place the country among technology driven nations
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“Nigeria has talented youths and is blessed with one of the youngest populations in the world; By 2050 we will be the third most populous nations in the world; So, we are concerned about Digital Literacy because the world is moving towards digital and knowledge-based economy and there is a global talent gap in ICT”.
The NITDA boss who noted that ICT is the third largest sector in Nigeria told the forum that so far, the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a Digital Nigeria, which was unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, has been phenomenally successful with monumental impact on the nation’s economy.
“The policy launch placed Nigeria on the Global Digital Economy Map and opened the doors for investors to come and invest in key sectors of the economy. Indeed, in the history of Nigeria, we have never had an administration which is ICT friendly like the Buhari administration”.
The Director General explained the strategic pillars under the NDEPS stressing that three among the pillars are the key focus of NITDA:
“Building Infrastructure, Talents (digital skills and literacy), and Suitable Environment for investments to thrive remain parts of NITDA’s targets”.
Abdullahi expressed optimism that the Nigeria Startup Bill will soon become an Act to incentivise Nigerians and create a new market in order to encourage more investments and boost the sector’s contribution to the Nigeria’s gross domestic products (GDP).
While commending the Federal Government for the change in the ministry’s mandate and nomenclature from Communications to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy in Oct, 2019, Abdullahi stressed that telecommunications is the biggest sector in Africa, and Nigeria is the leading market.
He encouraged investors to take advantage of the country’s huge population, resourceful young people as well as its soaring digital economy and invest without fears.
“Africa is a virgin land, we don’t have legacy infrastructure; So, you can easily invest and grow in many sectors”, said the NITDA boss.
He also expressed optimism that the 95% digital literacy target for 2030 was achievable to create new markets for not just Nigerians but investors, at home and abroad.
