Kano, selected Nigerians to receive awards at Digital Innovation conference

The Kano State government, alongside some selected Nigerians within the information and communications technology (ICT) sector will receive a distinguished award, which will be presented to them by the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta.

The awards will be given to them during the closing ceremony of this year’s Nigeria Digital Innovation Conference, scheduled to hold at the Bayero University, Kano on the 19th of August 2016.

According to a media statement signed by Dr Bayero Agabi, Executive Director, Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development (CECAD), and made available to Daily Times, the organiser of the 2-day conference, said the award is part of its effort to celebrate some Nigerians, who have promoted the growth of the information and communications technology (ICT) through advocacy and thought leadership prowess.

“We have concluded arrangement to honour about ten stakeholders in the Nigerian information and communications technology (ICT) sector. The award will be personally presented to them by Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC),” Dr. Bayero said.

Bayero said these ten Nigerians were carefully selected for the award because of their consistent support for the development and growth of the industry, which presently contribute about 9 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Speaking further, he noted that the Nigeria Digital Innovation Conference 2016 is targeted at optimizing new digital opportunities and making the ICT sector the next focal point of development for Nigeria as a country and its citizens.

The conference tagged ‘Building a New Nigeria in a Digital Economy’ according to him, will examine how the rapid expansion of digital technology and broadband is transforming the economic opportunities for millions of Nigerians.

Commenting on the choice of Kano, Dr. Bayero said the conference, which is being organised in partnership with Cyber Africa is scheduled to hold in Kano because of her strategic importance as one of the most socially-politically stable, key commercial nerve centre, most vibrant in terms of investment-friendly and hospitable with huge tourism potential.

“The choice of Kano State was well thought out. We see Kano as a centre where stakeholders can engage with the youths who sometime believe are being disenfranchised in term of ICT awareness and adoption,” he added.

He said the conference presents an opportunity to engage multi-stakeholders of high-powered panelists, experts and audience drawn from both the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy to articulate best ways for promoting youth innovation, job creation and economic development in the digital world.

The Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development is an advocacy, training, public education and development non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO). The overall aim of CECAD is to promote cyber responsibility by Internet users at the local, regional, national and international levels through advocacy and public education.