Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, has declared that Nigeria needs to reboot the entire ecosystem with digital technology to survive the present regressive economic outlook as a result of Covid-19 disruption.
The Minister stated this at the 2nd edition of the Re-Ignite Public Affairs National Dialogue Series, held in partnership with Businessday Media.
“Since the global lock down earlier in the year, digital commerce has become the most efficient growth area providing the world new ways of doing things as encapsulated in the ‘New Normal’ pseudo phrase,” Pantami stated.
Themed, “Nigeria at 60 – Rebooting Nigeria’s economy the way forward,” the Minister, who was represented by his Technical Assistant on Info-Tech, Dr. Olufemi Adeluyi, highlighted the National digital economy policy and strategy, which would help move the Nigerian economy sector forward.
He said the policy is hinged on eight pillars, which include the developmental regulation pillar, digital literacy and skills pillar, solid infrastructure pillar, service infrastructure pillar, digital services development and promotion pillar, soft infrastructure pillar, digital society and emerging technology pillar, indigenous content development and adoption pillar.
He concluded that the Nigerian economy needs a soft rebooting, which can only be achieved through an economy driven by digital technology.
The programme had other eminent members of faculty selected from among tech, creative, oil and gas, financial and digital experts and entrepreneurs, who provided perspectives on why the government should create an enabling policy environment for business enterprises to thrive within the digital space.
The faculty of discussants are Adia Sowho, Teleco expert, and former Director of Digital Business at Etisalat Nigeria; Obi Asika, a creative industry entrepreneur and Founder/CEO of Dragon Africa and Storm Productions. A policy analyst and General Counsel at Gulf of Guinea Consulting, Najim Animashaun; and Abolore Salami, a financial expert both shared perspectives from other markets and the need for the government to create an enabling regulatory and policy environment.
They enumerated the challenges that are inhibiting digital growth in private and public sectors in Nigeria. They also emphasised the need for continuous education of the users and also, the struggles that Telco companies in the country are facing despite the perception that they are making money.
