The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) met with stakeholders from the Lagos State Software and Innovation ecosystem to discuss ways to strengthen the country’s digital economy by increasing ICT contributions to GDP and promoting indigenous content through the purchase of indigenous IT products and services.
The event aimed at proffering solutions to challenges faced in the ecosystem had various critical players from multiple industries at the Bon Hotel in Lagos.
The NITDA Director-General, Kahisfu Inuwa, CCIE, represented by the Agency’s Digital Economy Department Acting Director, Engr. Salisu Kaka expressed his pleasure at the turnout and appreciated all innovators present despite their busy schedules.
During his introductory remarks, the DG noted that a symbiotic relationship between the government and the ecosystem’s stakeholders was required to accomplish the collectively intended result. “Whatever the government sets out to achieve, the private sector should assist and support it, and whatever the private sector sets out to achieve, the government should assist and support,” he remarked.
Inuwa stated that the engagement was aimed at meeting with stakeholders in order to identify difficulties in the ecosystem and propose solutions to them. He stressed the importance of developing a collaboration framework between the Agency and the ecosystem in order to address the stated difficulties.
Speaking on the vast amount of human and natural resources amassed by the Nation, the NITDA DG urged stakeholders in the Software and Innovation ecosystem to harness and utilize these resources for optimal productivity.
He emphatically admonished all participants to freely critique constructively, challenge what needs to be challenged, and also give recommendations on how the challenges faced can be surmounted.
“We are here to listen to you, and I am confident that today will be a historic day in which we co-create and re-identify our paths in bridging recognized gaps and establishing a bright future,” he said.
While informing ecosystem stakeholders on the realignment of the former specifically purpose vehicles (SPVs), Yakubu Musa, Acting Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), highlighted the ONDI’s strategic goals as well as initiatives.
“The ONDI has been mandated to work with the ecosystem to design and implement strategic programs and initiatives that will drive and foster the ecosystem’s growth through interventions and addressing some of the issues being faced in the ecosystem,” he averred.
Musa noted in his remark that the Agency is eager to engage with stakeholders in the areas of strategic human capital development,’ ‘financing and support to the ecosystem,” research and insights, “monitoring and compliance,’ ‘partnerships,’ and ‘implementation of guidelines.’
While giving a recap of contributions made by all heads of Industries, Groups, and Associations present, Mr ChinenyeMba-Uzoukwu (FNCS), President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), thanked the Agency for the insightful event but pleaded for more effective communication and transparency.
