Socio-economic recovery form the devastating blow of Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) can only be made possible by massive adoption of information and communications Technology (ICT) solutions across sectors.
This assertion was made yesterday by Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) during an ubiquitous sectoral virtual forum, organized by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).
As one of principal participants at the event, Inuwa stressed that ICT is playing a major role in the global effort at returning to the new normal, explaining that COVID-19 has triggered an unprecedented paradigm shift in the way of life and only ICT sector can accelerate the development of Digital Economy.
“Covid-19 has stimulated a surge in demand for digital services and are putting tremendous pressure on the existing ICT and Telco infrastructure,” he said.
Inuwa also stressed the need for the government’s intervention and regulatory instruments to help industry players come out from the Covid-19 pandemic stronger than they entered it.
He said broadband infrastructure remains the most critical infrastructure the nation needs to wane the storm of the pandemic, disclosing that the connectivity drive of the government has made Nigeria a mobile-first market, with almost three-quarters of about 100 million internet users consuming digital services using smartphones.
He mentioned reassigning of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s mandates to accommodate the digital economy plan and National broadband policy and Nigerian Digital Economy Strategic Plans as some of the various government’s efforts, which had within eight months increased the broadband penetration from 32 per cent to almost 42 per cent.
“Under my leadership as the DG of NITDA, we are focusing on initiatives that provide the skeleton and flesh to the digital economy, while broadband provides the backbone infrastructure for the digital economy to thrive.”
The DG went ahead to highlight those initiatives to include Developmental Regulations; Digital Literacy and Skills; Solid Infrastructure; Service Infrastructure; Digital Service Development and Promotion; Indigenous Content Development and Promotion among others.
