By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
Communications and Digital Economy Minister, Dr Ali Pantami has expressed optimism that Nigeria would soon be one of the leading digital economies in the world.
To this end, he said, all the agencies under the supervision of his ministries are closely working together with private sector companies towards developing Nigeria’a DigitalEconomy.
The minister was speaking Tuesday at the Second School of Science and Technology (SOST) National Conference opened at the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.
He disclosed that through the advent of accessible information and communication technologies (ICTs), Nigerian has seen huge transformation and acceleration in its economicdevelopment.
Pantami said that a significant number of today’s information and communication technologies are tools of the Digital Economy infrastructure promoted by the Federal Government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy 2020 – 2030 in an attempt to spur the sector into action and achieve its digital economy goals for a more prosperous and productive Nigeria.
“It would interest one to note that the National Bureau of Statistics indicated that ICT sector removed Nigeria from recession of the 2020 with a 4th Quarter GDP growth of 17.64% followed abysmally by Crop Production sector with a growth of 3.42 percent”.
Pantami further stated that digital economy opens up new opportunities for business, and in order to live and develop in the environment, companies must radically restructure their business processes, as process of digitalization today affect all countries of the world.
“It is quite important because our nation Nigeria is at a point where it is evolving into one of the nations that will in the next couple of years be regarded as one of the leading digital economies in the world”.
The Minster added that the digital Economy was taking shape and undermining conventional notions about how businesses were structured, how firms interacted and how consumers obtained services, information and goods.
“Therefore, we cannot underestimate the huge role science and technology plays in digital economies and the strengthening of the SDGs,” Pantami said.
Also Speaking, Mr Sanusi Gumau, Rector Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, reiterated the commitment of the Polytechnic in maintaining standards in science and technology innovations.
He said the polytechnic was ready to partner government, individuals and business people to invest in technology innovations.
Prof. Mohammmed Shuaibu, Dean, Faculty of Life Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in his lead paper presentation said industrialisation was widely acknowledged as the most driving force for economic growth and development.
Shuaaibu pointed out that industrialisation would not be achieved without government, academia and industry adding that those three arms must come together to achieve industrialisation.
Earlier in a welcome address, the chief host and rector of the federal polytechnic, Bauchi, Arc. Sanusi Waziri Gumau said the in the area of research and development, which is one of the parameters for grading institutions’ performance, Federal polytechnic Bauchi is doing well.
Gumau submitted, “Without mincing words, I am proud to tell you that the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi is the best in the Northeast sub-region. The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro confirmed this when he visited us earlier this year”
He expressed delight with the presidential approval for siting the Northeast Zonal Office of the National Board for Technical Education at the polytechnic, saying already Tetfund zonal director was in Bauchi to commence work of coordinating the affairs of polytechnics, monotechnics and technical colleges in the sub-region
