NITDA Set to Address N720bn Yearly Losses to IT Importations

Emma Okonji

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Isa Pantami, has said that the agency is set to reduce the $2 billion (N720 billion) yearly losses incurred by Nigeria through the importation of foreign technologies into the country.

Pantami, who made the disclosure during a media interaction at the ongoing Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) in Dubai, UAE, said such importations were not necessary, and amounted to capital flight, especially when there are local IT solutions that address the same concern that the foreign solutions address.

Pantami said NITDA realised that “developing our ICT ecosystem for the indigenous IT companies and for startup by offering them an enabling environment in terms of policy and laws to operate, is one of the ways Nigeria could adopt to curb the N720 billion yearly losses.

This is just as the Nigerian lawmakers, participating at the regional event, said they would ensure that the Nigerian startups that are being presented for global pitch in Dubai, have access to reasonable years of tax holiday.

The startups at this year’s 37th GITEX include: Coudiora, Nicademia, Beat Drone, Accounteer, Dropque, MTK e-Learning Portal, My Padi, Ward Monitor, Tattara and Six Internet of Things (IoT).

They are to compete with hundreds of tech startups from across the world to win $30,000 million investment towards developing their solution in a commercially viable way.

According to Pantami, “There is a need for Nigeria to promote local technology solutions developed Nigerians with specific reference to the 10 startups in order to truly project Nigerian into becoming one of the countries to be reckoned with on the global ICT map.”

Explaining the seven areas NITDA is focusing on at this year’s IT exhibition towards developing the country’s ICT ecosystem, Pantami said the agency came with seven-point agenda designed to develop Nigeria’s IT industry and curb the huge annual capital flight.

“These include promoting IT regulations in Nigeria, IT development and promotions, striking partnership on how to better secure Nigerian cyberspace, capacity building, promotion of e-government in Nigeria, showcasing indigenous tech innovations as well as looking for investors, who will assist in supporting local development of Nigeria’s IT industry,” he said.

He added that NITDA was working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure that the annual estimated N37.8 billion wasted on frivolous ICT projects, most of which were focused on foreign IT procurements, is curbed through enforcing NITDA Act that says all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government must get clearance from NITDA for any IT project they want to embark upon to ensure those projects are implementable.

He explained that NITDA was able to save government N500 million through a recent screening it carried out one of the government MDA’s.

“If NITDA could save as much as N500 million from the screening of a single IT project, you can imagine how much we will be saving government as an agency if thorough screening of all MDAs’ IT projects are carried out in the country,” Pantami said