The Nigerian government says it will leverage on information communication technology (ICT) to boost the economy.
This is in the light of dwindling revenue from oil, no thanks to consistent fall in its international prices.
Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications Technology, said ICT has become an enabler for all sectors of the economy, adding that its application to human problem has become inevitable.
He said the Federal Government is aware that ICT is one of the sectors that have steadily contributed to the growth of the national gross domestic product (GDP) from 5.46 per cent in 2011, to 112.25 per cent in the second quarter of this year with 6.26 per cent growth in real terms.
Dr. Oloapa who spoke at the last DEMO Africa 2015 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, said: "This has not happened magically without
strategic inputs from all stakeholders. While we have strengthened our industry with policies, interventions and programmes, the industry is also exploring the business opportunities of our fast growing and large consuming class (over 40 million people according to U.S McKinsey and Company) - by creating consumer facing ICT businesses across the country.
strategic inputs from all stakeholders. While we have strengthened our industry with policies, interventions and programmes, the industry is also exploring the business opportunities of our fast growing and large consuming class (over 40 million people according to U.S McKinsey and Company) - by creating consumer facing ICT businesses across the country.
While our ICT entrepreneurs are beginning to tap into this, there is still a huge opportunity for all players to democratise ICT entrepreneurship in order to leap frog into reaping in huge benefits of economic diversification and growth".
He said the Federal Government will continue to nurture ICT innovators in the country through the provision of friendly policies, enabling environment and legislative frameworks that support their growth.
As we realise day by day, we are compelled to embrace, explore and leverage on its roles to change things positively. From government perspective, we cannot afford to ignore the geese that lay the golden eggs - that is, the ICT innovators, the software and hardware developers, the ICT entrepreneurs.
"While they are incomplete without the entire ecosystem of investors, academia, and mentors and so on, we must continue to nurture them through enabling environment, platforms such as DEMO Africa, right policies and legislative framework that support their growth" he added.
He noted that DEMO Africa has yielded positive results for African nations that have participated since its inception. Since participating in DEMO Africa in 2012, he pointed out, Nigeria has witnessed the emergence of at least 26 ICT startups with four in 2013, 14 last year and eight this year. "They have created jobs, raising funds to grow their businesses, expanding the frontier of entrepreneurship".
To deepen the impact that platforms such as DEMO Africa has created in the country, he enjoined African governments to support innovation and entrepreneurship through various policies, initiatives and programmes that will not only support the ICT entrepreneurs, but also grow the innovation ecosystem.
"It is high time we stepped up our involvement in supporting them through various catalytic interventions, taking a cue from other nations like the United States (U.S), Britain, Israel, India, China" he said.
The focus of the present administration, he opined, is strongly hinged on diversifying the economy, creating jobs and wealth that will improve the socio-economic lot of the people.
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