ICT Stakeholders To Dissect Pending NITDA Bill

Stakeholders in the telecoms sector will be dissecting the pending amendment bill of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Bill 2021, in an effort to boost investments in the tech space and increase digital deliverables for Nigerians.

NITDA is a key agency of the federal government under the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, developing and promoting ICT adoption in the country. The agency was established in 2007 by the NITDA Act while the NITDA Bill 2021, now pending at the National Assembly, seeks to repeal and re-enact the NITDA Act of 2007.

Organisers of the fast-growing consultative event brand, the Policy Implementation Assisted Forum (PIAFo), have dedicated the event’s next edition to robust engagement on the pending amendment bill of the NITDA Bill 2021.

The event, now in its fifth edition, is slated for Thursday April 13, 2023 in Lagos, with the theme: ‘NITDA Bill: Towards the Sustainability of Nigeria’s Digital Economy Drive.’

While Nigeria’s digital economy is estimated to have attracted over $4.4 billion investment in the last four years, organisers of PIAFo said, the event has been designed to boost investments in the space and increase digital deliverables for Nigerians through productive stakeholder consultations to engender an environment for the sustainability of the digital economy drive.

Speaking on the event, PIAFo lead executive, Omobayo Azeez, said: “Nigeria’s digital economy has become a collective project for players across sectors in the public and private spheres. The ICT sector is a lifeline for the economy and this has been proven time and again through its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), among other ways.

“In the last quarter of 2022, the sector contributed 16.22 per cent to the GDP, rising from 15.35 per cent in the third quarter of the year. In fact, in the preceding Q2 of 2022, total ICT contribution to GDP was higher at 18.94 per cent.”

Azeez, who doubles as editor of Business Metrics Nigeria, further said, as the NITDA Bill 2021 proposes certain changes in a view to align with the ever-changing ICT sector, the need for robust consultative engagements with relevant stakeholders is imperative to ensure its seamless implementation and ensure efforts from all ends are integrated for the sustainability of the country’s digital economy drive.

“So, we have designed this forum as an avenue for constructive dialogue for concerned government agencies, players in the ICT and telecoms sector, legal experts and Civil Society Organisations(CSOs) in the country.

“The event is planned to be a full-day engaging discussion after which a detailed report shall be issued to reflect aggregate views expressed by discussants with their recommendations in the interest of growing our digital economy,” he added.