By Longtong Ibrahim
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Nigeria has been identified as one of the viable means for economic diversification which if properly harness would boost income generation and provides job opportunities for the teeming youths of the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communication and Technology Sonny Echono, while speaking during the opening ceremony of the 4th National Council on Communication in Kaduna, North-west Nigeria said, with proper focus, policies and strategies, ICT can be a major revenue earner for government and game changer in the nation’s economic advancement.
He said as an enabler of innovation, productivity and growth in all sectors of socio-economic activities, ICT in the country has contributed to employment especially among the youths who constitute more than sixty percent of the nation’s population.
According to him, “globalization and advancement in Information and Communication Technology has brought about phenomenal changes and opened opportunities for developing countries including Nigeria to meaningfully participate at the International level.
“It has also added impetus to the movement towards knowledge based, as against resource base economic growth,” he added.
Echono also described the meeting as timely, saying it came when concerted efforts are being made to place ICT as the focal point of economic diversification in the country.
The permanent secretary however implored participants to use the opportunity to contribute meaningfully on policies that would help to move the country’s economy forward using ICT.
The Kaduna state governor Nasir El-rufai, in his remarks said the state has keyed into the utilization of ICT in running several of its programs.
The governor who was represented by the state commissioner of Education, science and Technology Andrew Nok, pointed out that the state would utilize ICT to tackle criminal activities and improve health system in the state among others.
The theme of this year’s meeting is; ‘ICT as a focal point for Economic Diversification’, and participants were drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
