Hamid Ayodeji
Experts have stressed the role of technology in the COVID-19 fight as well in economic transformation for the country.
The experts and stakeholders from various fields of the economy said this during a webinar organised by Foreign Investment Network (FIN), recently, with the theme: “Deploying Technology to Mitigate the Impact of the Pandemic.”
The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim, while speaking at the online conference said the federal government remained dedicated towards implementing technology-driven initiatives that would enthrone a digital economy.
Ibrahim added: “Before the Covid-19 outbreak, I proposed a national digital economy strategy which was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Currently, plans are already in place for virtual training of ministers and government personnel who would key into the use of technology.
“Also, we have established collaboration with international institutions in order to launch the virtual academy at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) with the mission of training and empowering Nigerian youths.
“As a result of technology-driven solutions and products, virtual meetings and communications participation have been effectively executed. Thus, even after the pandemic it would be retained on a higher percentage.
“Also, as part of efforts to promote digitisation we have put in place measures to ensure the protection and safety of bio data.
“Data should be protected and not compromised. So, the Nigerian Data Protection Legislation has translated from subsidiary to principal legislation, and it is being taken to the National Assembly to be passed into law.”
In his remarks, the Head, Sub-Saharan Africa GSMA, Akinwale Goodluck maintained that harnessing the potential would depend on how the stakeholders take advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic and reinvigorate thinking.
Goodluck added, “There is the need to use technology to boost the economical actives of the nation by implementing schemes which increase the awareness of the benefits of digital literacy, mobile money, mobile and smart phones, data and cryptocurrency.
“People within the levels of the economical pyramid need to be adequately enabled to use such infrastructures when facilitating technology driven payment solutions.
“As part of measures to deepen the awareness and utilisation of technology solutions we have introduced the reduction of data and call costs.”
