NCC Lists 8 Pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy

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The National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy shall be anchored on the 8 pillars of the ‘DIGITAL NIGERIA’ Roadmap of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMoCDE).

These pillars are listed below:

  1. Developmental Regulation (effective regulation of the ICT and digital sector in a way that enables development);
  2. Digital Literacy and Skills (providing policy backing for massive training of Nigerians from all works of life in order to enable them obtains digital literacy and other digital skills. This pillar will also facilitate the training of Nigerians.);
  3. Solid Infrastructure (deployment of fixed and mobile infrastructure to deepen the broadband penetration in the country);
  4. Service Infrastructure (support for Government Digital Services and the provision of robust digital platforms to drive the digital economy);
  5. Soft Infrastructure (strengthening public confidence in the use of digital technologies and participation in the digital economy);
  6. Digital Services Development and Promotion (development of a vibrant digital ecosystem that supports Innovation Driven Enterprises (IDE) and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in a way that engenders innovation);
  7. Digital Society and Emerging Technologies (focus on tying the development of the digital economy to indices of well-being in the lives of the ordinary citizens; mentoring startups on emerging technologies and deploying their solutions);
  8. Indigenous Content Development and Adoption (provision of a policy framework that gives preference   to digitally skilled Nigerians for government funded projects in line with the Executive Orders 003 and 005 of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR).

 

The Pillars will accelerate the development of a digital economy in Nigeria.

In addition, Tte Digital Economy in the Nigerian Context ICT’s Contribution to Nigeria’s GDP – An Emerging Prospect ICT’s contribution has been one of the fastest growing components of Nigeria’s GDP and is emerging as its most important long-term growth prospect. In the second quarter of 2019, ICT contributed 13.85% to the GDP calculations, as against Oil and Gas putting in 8.82% in comparison .

With the execution of a Digital Economy strategy, the digital technology sector cans double its contribution to the economy over the next five years

Youth are the enablers of any digital revolution.

Therefore, with a population having an average age of just over 18 years and with 60% of the country represented by youth, it indicates that Nigeria is ready to be the foundation of an African Digital Economy.

Furthermore, seizing the initiative with the youth would make Nigeria the driver of a continent-wide digital economy under the new African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA).

Nigeria also possesses an infrastructural advantage over its neighbours, and this should also propel the nation to a position of digital leadership on the continent.

There was an urgent need to have a Ministry assigned the role of coordinating the activities related to Nigeria’s Digital Economy. This need led President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to approve the redesignation of the Ministry of Communications as the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy on the 17th of October, 2019.  The change of name expanded the mandate of the Ministry to include a key aspect of the priority areas set for the Ministry by the Federal Government, which is the “Development and Implementation of a Digital Economy Policy and Strategy”.

https://www.firstbanknigeria.com/e-learning/

The name, Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, gives a more holistic reflection of the mandate of the Ministry; communications addresses the channel, digital addresses the nature of the content and economy reflects the central focus of the activities of the Ministry, which is the development of the economy in line with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of President Buhari’s administration.

The Ministry’s mission statement is We Leverage Digital Technologies for National Economic Development. It encapsulates the rationale for its being the fulcrum for establishing and sustaining a national digital economy.


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