The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has partnered with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to help aid export driven digital economy by leveraging technology.
The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi, received the Executive Director/CEO of Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Olusegun Awolowo at the Agency’s National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Abuja.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to the creation of a viable innovative ecosystem to move the country forward through sustainable technology innovation and export-driven digital economy.
During the visit, Awolowo suggested areas of partnership with NITDA, especially iun the export of services such as ICT infrastructure, inclusion and promotion of youths through training and job creation.
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He identified other areas of collaboration to include transition to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Diaspora export programme, and Digital Agriculture.
While appreciating the visit, the DG NITDA, noted that entrepreneurship could be viewed from two different perspectives: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Innovative Driven Enterprises (IDEs).
He explained that the initiatives of the agency were targeted more towards the IDEs, owing to long term benefits it had in the global market.
‘’Innovative Driven Enterprises are game changers for job and wealth creation,’’ he said.
To achieve job and wealth creation using digital technology, the DG stressed that there was a need to have key stakeholders on board from universities and corporate organisations, venture capitals, entrepreneurs that were willing to transform ideas into productivity.
According to him, the government needs to play its role by creating an enabling environment through interventions, policies and establishment of infrastructures.
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He stressed that NITDA works with different organisations, universities, entrepreneurs and other government bodies to achieve job and wealth creation, and to establish a sustainable digital economy under initiatives such as ‘The Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support Scheme’.
Kashifu further encouraged the youths to acquire digital skills and innovative culture, saying that academic qualifications were not enough to provide jobs and create wealth in today’s competitive world.
“NITDA identifies and selects Start-ups to get mentorship and training in IT Hubs across the nation, connects them with investors and corporate organisations in order to provide them with jobs’’, he added.
He concluded that NITDA can work with NEPC to create an ecosystem that will promote the export of digital items, services and infrastructure.
Awolowo stated that the creation of the digital economy ministry was one of the best achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
He said there was a need for the country to move beyond dependency on raw materials to investment Information Technology and Artificial intelligence.
NEPC boss stated that the creation of financial means of payment in Nigeria similar to PayPal, Flutter wave, and pay-stack demonstrated that financial technology is the present and the future mainstay of our digital economy.
