NIGERIA: 100 Million Jobs with Digital Innovation Coming, says NCC

Engages States on Investment Policy

Nigeria targets to create not less than 100 million new jobs with ICT Investment, innovation and this would really need the buy-in of states governments including those in the northern part of the country among other stakeholders to make this a fruition under President Muhammadu Buhari tenure. — Nigeria Targets 100 million jobs with new ICT Investment, and innovation policy. NCC is engaging stakeholders in the ICT sector and State Government on the scheme. **DAYO PAUL** reports that recently the commission was at ADAMAWA state to engage the North-Eastern region states on the scheme.

The Nigeria Communication Commission has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s SMART Digital Nigeria initiative which primarily aim to create over 100 million jobs in 10 years is achievable with open access to Information Communication Technology investment, digital innovation and local content drives across states including the Northern region of the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, made this known at the just concluded 2-day Emerging Tech Research & Innovation Forum organised by the Commission at the Library Auditorium, American University of Nigeria, (AUN), Yola, Adamawa,

The forum with the theme: “Developing Nigeria’s Tech Ecosystem: Imperative for Improving Local Content”, which started on Wednesday, October 30, 2019, had in attendance key players in the ICT value chain to deliberate and suggest policy directions, regulatory frameworks and strategies to further facilitate innovation, stimulate market growth and create economic value in the geo-political zone.

**NCC Rallies North-Eastern States on ICT Investment, Innovation and Development.**
L-R: Mohammed Dauda, FNSE, Director National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASTNI) Managing Director, Advanced Manufacturing Tech Program Jalingo; S.B Junaidu, Head of Computer Science Department, ABU Zaria; Ephraim Nwokenneya Director Research and Development Department, NCC; Bashir Ahmed, Secretary to the State Governement representing Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintri; Chidi Diugwu, Deputy Director, New Media and Information Security, NCC representing the EVC, Umar Garba Danbatta, NCC; Mohammed M.O KAH, American University Nigeria (AUN); Mohammed Ahmadu, Interim Dean School of Law, AUN; Mustapha Aminu, Galadima Adamawa; Mohammed Ajiya, President , Digital Bridge Institute (DBI).

Five Executive Governors of Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states were duly represented as the forum extensively proffer pathway to the industry issues taming application of digital innovation for local content development in the North-Easthern geo-political zone and beyond.

According to Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, who spoke at the forum said digital innovation leads as the new economic frontier that all states must consider to integrate to revamp and achieve economic prosperity in their region and tame the scourge of unemployment in tandem to President Muhammmadu Buhari’s digital economy agenda.

He stressed that ICT must be taken very seriously to drive development in the region, in the areas of improving infrastructure and quality of service, promoting national broadband penetration and security, and supporting e-commerce.

By extension, according to Danbatta, the adoption of ICT innovation and investment it will boost private sector-led innovation and capacity building, solutions on public-service deliveries, interactive with citizens, adaptive to changing times, knowledge-driven on accountable, transparency, and participatory governance, and it is reliable to secure cities, critical national infrastructure, Telco infrastructure and other investments.

L -R: Mr. Chidi Diugwu, Deputy Director New Media and Information Security, NCC representing the EVC NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta; Mr. Mustapha Aminu, Galadima Adamawa; Mr. Bushir Ahmed, Secretary to the State Government Adamawa State; Mr Ephraim Nwokonneya, Director Research and Development NCC; Mr. Mahammadu M. O. Kah, Provost American University of Nigeria Yola at the Emerging Technologies Research and ICT Innovation Forum in Yola, Adamawa State.

Represented by Chidi Diugwu, Deputy Director New Media and Information Security in the Commission at the forum, Danbatta maintained that ICT adoption drive, which has become the new economic model for the country, will continue to shape the future of global economies, underscoring the need for states in Nigeria to key into the new economic order.

According to Danbatta, this Forum has been designed to advance NCC’s agenda of promoting ICT innovation, tech entrepreneurship and facilitate local development while leveraging on the power of digital technology to position Nigeria’s 21st century digital revolution.

“This forum is in continuation of the Commission’s nationwide support scheme for adoption of tech ecosystem for local content growth and the nation’s economic landscape,” Danbatta said.

In his address, Ubale Maska, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, who was represented at the forum by Ephraim Nwokonneya, Director, Research and Development, NCC, stressed the need “we must all support Mr. President’s Next Level Agenda of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years through the adoption of emerging technology trends across local economic fronts in all states of the Federation.”

The forum featured panel discussions on “Innovation Hubs as the Fulcrum of Local Content Development, Digital inclusion and Wealth Creation, Employment and National Economic Development” and “Legislative and Government Support for Enhancing Tech Ecosystem in Nigeria.”