The National information technology and development agency (NITDA) as a regulatory agency with the constitutional rights to enact subsidiary laws have signed 5 regulatory instruments on Friday, 2nd of August 2019 to further improve the IT structure in the country.
The regulatory instruments as amended include: Nigerian Content Development in Information and Communications, Nigeria e-Government Inter-operability Framework (Ne-GIF) and Nigeria ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Vision (NIIEV).
Others are Nigeria Cloud Computing Policy (NCCP) and Framework and Guidelines for ICT Adoption in Tertiary Institutions.
Pantami, during the presentation of the guidelines, said the agency’s regulatory documents were developmental and not intended to indict stakeholders in the industry.
Pantami, a ministerial nominee, recalled that the agency had on Jan. 25 signed off five regulatory guidelines, adding that the newly approved ones would consolidate the older and ensure the agency remains relevant in regulating the IT industry
As stated by the Director general, the 5 newly enacted regulatory instruments are developmental and not intended to indict stakeholders in the IT sector but rather promote local content.
“The amended guidelines are focused on accelerating the development of indigenous skills, technology transfer, use of indigenous manpower and local manufacturing,” he said.
Pantami, said that with the implementation of the guideline, the patronage of indigenous computers increased from 82,000 in 2013 to 356,000 in 2017.
The agency had earlier launched 5 regulatory instruments in February 2019. In addition is the guideline for Nigerian content development in ICT as amended launched in 2013 which was liable to review due to the emerging tends in the sector. ” there are new opportunities emerging in the ICT industry and the Maiden guideline was meant to be reviewed after five years…We have amended it and through this implementation of this guidelines, we were able to develop the local ICT industry”.
His excellency, the executive Governor of Nasarawa state, Engr. Abdullahi Sule gave the closing remarks as he commended the good works of the agency and also sought it’s partnership to develop ICT in his home- state.
