FG’s silo mentality big hindrance to digital economy-ATCON
Despite the vision of the Federal Government to produce potential employers through the development of the Nigerian Digital Economy, the President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr Olusola Teniola, says a big obstacle to achieving that vision is the silo mentality of the government.
Lamenting that the Federal Government is far from being collaborative with relevant stakeholders, Teniola, in a phone chat with our correspondent on Sunday, opined that Nigeria needs to put a lot in place to join the league of countries enjoying the full benefits of a digital economy, asserting that Nigeria currently has no choice but to create a digital economy that would create massive employment opportunities for the army of unemployed youths and get Nigeria out of the woods.
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He says Nigeria is about to launch a broadband plan with the principal aim of hitting 70 per cent broadband penetration in the next five years, adding that a series of plans that cover infrastructure, policies and spectrum are expected to fill the present gaps and change the present narrative.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Ali Pantami, had recently inaugurated Expert Review Committee Member of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
The NDEPS is a draft document aimed at strategising on how to digitise the economy of the country. The Policy and Strategy rest on eight pillars: Developmental Regulation; Digital Literacy and Skills; Solid Infrastructure; Service Infrastructure; Digital Services Development and Promotion; Soft Infrastructure; Digital Society and Emerging Technologies; and Indigenous Content Development and Adoption.
Pantami said the committee would review the draft document, provide an effective implementation roadmap and also come up with a responsibility matrix.
“The development of the Nigerian Digital Economy will also have a multiplier effect on the level of development of the traditional economy. It will enable Nigeria to get a slice of the Global Digital Economy, which Oxford This value is expected to grow significantly over the coming years. The World Economic Forum predicts that over 60 per cent of global GDP will be digitised by 2022 and that over the next decade, digital platforms will be used to create close to 70 per cent of new value.
“This Expert Review Committee has been carefully selected from a pool of tech-savvy Nigerians. Your selection is a reflection of the level of confidence that we have in you to carry out this very important national assignment,” he added.
