NITDA engages Lagos tech innovators for enhanced productivity

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), on Thursday, held a meeting with the Lagos State Software and Innovation ecosystem stakeholders on strengthening the country’s digital economy.

This was with a view to increase the contributions of Information Communications Technology (ICT) to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP).

The NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, said that the agency was committed to increasing the contributions of ICT to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP,)as well as promoting indigenous content, through patronizing indigenous Information Technology (IT) products and services.

The event, which also aimed at proffering solutions to challenges faced in the ecosystem, had various critical players from multiple industries at the Bon Hotel in Lagos.

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.

In his remarks of opening, he stated that a symbiotic relationship between the Government and the ecosystem players was essential to achieve a collective desired result.

“Whatever the government is out to achieve, the private sector should help the government achieve it, and whatever the private sector is set to achieve, the government should help and support.

“We are here to listen to you, and I am positive that today will be a historical day where we co-create and re-identify our routes in bridging identified gaps and creating a bright future,” he said.

Inuwa disclosed that the engagement was geared to interacting with the stakeholders, to identify challenges faced by the ecosystem and proffering solutions to them.

He emphasized the need to map out a partnership framework between the Agency and the ecosystem in addressing the identified challenges.

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 make recommendations on how the challenges could be surmounted.

The Acting Coordinator in the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), Yakubu Musa, intimated the ecosystem stakeholders on the realignment of the former special purpose vehicles (SPVs), introduced stating the strategic intents of the ONDI as well as its initiatives.

“The ONDI has been mandated to work with the ecosystem to design and implement strategic programmes and initiatives that would drive and foster the ecosystem’s growth through interventions and addressing some of the issues faced in the ecosystem,” he said.

Musa said that strategic human capital development, funding and support to the ecosystem, research and insights, monitoring and compliance, partnership’ and ‘implementation of guidelines’ were the focus areas.

He said that NITDA was willing to collaborate with the stakeholders in the focus areas, thereby creating a formidable and enviable ecosystem.

In a recap, the President, Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu (FNCS), harmonised the contributions by all heads of Industries, Groups, and Associations present, thanked the Agency for the insightful event.

Mba-Uzoukwu also canvassed for more transparency and effective communication.