Minister Urges Nigerians To Take Advantage Of Tech Revolution
The Minister of Communications, Dr. Adebayo Shittu, has urged Nigerians to utilise the tech and social media revolution benefits by accessing global markets through local creativity and personal branding.
He gave the advice during the recently concluded Glocalisation and Branding Summit with a theme “Accessing Global Market Using Local Creativity and Personal Branding”, which held in Abuja.
The minister said the present drive of the Buhari-led government to restructure and rebuild the political institutions for sustainable socio-economic growth and change have to be complemented with an aggressive drive towards diversification of the economy from dependency on oil and focus on putting ‘Made in Nigeria’ goods, services and products on the global market place.
According to him, “With a captivating culture, Nigeria is prime for foreign direct investment and greater synergy with the private sector.”
Shittu, pointed out that there was need for private sector involvement in filling the gap of an infrastructure deficit of over $300 billion, adding that government on its own cannot finance, build and manage infrastructure.
“The ministry is focused on leveraging on innovative technology to create global brands and work with the private sector to accelerate the pace of socio-economic and sustainable growth, particularly in those areas that will lead to the speedy realisation of the objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, (ERGP)”.
The Special Adviser on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to the Vice President, Mr. Lanre Osibola, stated that young people matter a lot for economic growth and Nigerians should do away with self-defeating attitude, avoid distraction and focus on how to showcase our success story.
He added that Nigeria was blessed with intelligent young people who need a good reportage by the press to paint Nigeria well to the world adding that our mindset should change to improve the country because we are hardworking people despite the various challenges we faced as a people.
The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, recently disclosed plan to establish a National Information Communication Technology (ICT) Park inside the Abuja Technology Village.
Although it is a government initiative to establish the ICT Park, such initiative has already won the hearts of foreign and local investors who are operating in the country’s ICT sector and they have indicated their interests to invest in the ICT park, which is expected to open up investment opportunities for the Nigerian economy.
The establishment of the park according to Shittu, would further facilitate digital capacity building for immediate employment, entrepreneurial skills development, job and wealth creation, designed to promote the digital economy in an era of disruptive technology through effective regulations.
