Dr Falilat Jimoh, the Digital Architect Manager, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA),has sought the inclusion of the grassroots in bridging the digital gap in Nigeria.
Speaking at the recently-concluded Economic Forum of the American Business Council (ABC), Jimoh disclosed that while NITDA is determined to achieve a digital landscape in the country, the agency was as well committed to including everyone irrespective of their social stratification.
The NITDA chief, therefore, called for multi-sectoral collaboration for a seamless ecosystem to derive more values against drowning in the wave of digital disruptions.
Her words: “NITDA has its own strategic document roadmap which harps on the need for digital inclusion to accommodate those selling even plantain on the streets.
“We want a Nigeria where everyone irrespective of who you are, where you are, the language you speak, ethnicity can derive value from technology.
“This requires innovation to enable maximum participation at the grassroot level and also requires behavioural change and trust on the part of the people to drive inclusiveness to success.”
Supporting the NITDA’s drive for digital transformation, Olayinka West, Professor, Information Systems, Lagos Business School, stated that the Nigeria of today needs data and state-of-the-art technology products to thrive.
“We can harness our human resources to a digital Nigeria to reap the big macroeconomic benefits, which the country has to offer.
“Tech can be a main source of foreign exchange as opposed to leaning on just oil for that.
“There’s however the need to take technology education to the grassroots, ensure data affordability for small businesses and then invest in requisite infrastructure to address cyber insecurities.
“Collectively, we can do more with technology for a more nourished ecosystem across all sectors of the Nigerian economy,” West said, as she stressed the importance of technology in enabling a thriving economy.
