Jonathan Harps on Adopting Digitalisation to Fight Crime, Poverty, Unemployment

Emameh Gabriel in Abuja

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has emphasised the need for total digitalisation of the Nigerian economy as a way of boosting employment generation, fighting poverty and reducing crimes, especially in the public sector.

Jonathan stated this yesterday in Abuja, during the signing of the digitalisation agreement between the Nigeria and Visa.

Highlighting the significance of a digital economy, Jonathan said, “the concept of e-Goverment was first embraced by the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo in 2004. There’s no going back on digitalisation of our economy, if Nigeria must realise it’s potentials.”

Jonathan who was represented by a former Minister of Defence, Senator Al Amin Daggash, enumerated the benefits of a digitalised economy.

He said: “Digitisation eliminates person-to-person contact in the conduct of government and corporate businesses, thereby eliminating corruption, blocking revenue that could have been diverted to private pockets. It will increase efficiency in the conduct of government business.”

He said Customs, Immigration, Population Commission are among government agencies to benefit the most in a digitalised economy, adding that with digitalisation, Nigeria would know its real population when it conducts a national census.

“Digitisation is the only way we can achieve development. It will solve insecurity problem because it will boost the Nigerian economy by creating jobs, which will make the youths put food on the table.

“When Nigeria’s potential is properly harnessed, it can create wealth for everybody and the only way to do that is to digitalise our economy,” he concluded.
Earlier in his welcome address at the agreement signing ceremony, the Executive Vice Chairman of NeGSt-TAS Technologies Ltd, Dr. Felix Babatunde Obada, explained that digitalisation holds an all-round solution to Nigeria’s numerous challenges.

According to him, “Nigeria’s films and music are popular around the world now. They are all part of a digitalised economy.”

He expressed dissatisfaction with the way sectors like agriculture, oil and gas, etc were operating in silos, saying that a channel of communication and interaction needed to be opened among them.

“Government agencies are currently operating in silos. They are not working in synergy. It ought not to be so. Digitisation is to create a digital tread between economies to make them talk to each other.

“It’s possible to make all aspect of the Nigerian economy talk to each. It has to be collective efforts. We have heard a lot of bad news in Nigeria. Scarcity, terrorism, arson, kidnapping, etc. We must begin to say good news to ourselves. That’s why this initiative is coming at this time.”
“We want to return Nigeria to when things were rosy. The efforts start now. We are privilege to be partnering with Visa. Visa don’t need our money or technology; they have their own money.

“All they require from us is conducive operating environment. They have done this all over the world. It’s the turn of Nigeria for good things to happen.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of NeGSt-TAS Technologies Ltd, who doubled as the father of the day, Muhammed Munir Ja’Afar, welcomed Visa to Nigeria, promising that the agreement was with his full support.

He urged relevant stakeholders to cooperate in ensuring the success of the project. He used the opportunity to congratulate the incoming government and wish the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu Allah’s guidance.

In his remarks, the host, Minister of State for Transportation, Solomon Ayodele Oladunni, said, the rest of the world, “is moving towards digitisation and Nigeria cannot be left behind.”
He thanked Visa for the confidence reposed in Nigeria by coming to invest in the West African country, while assuring them that the government of Nigeria would do everything within its power to secure their investment.