FG strives to reform ICT sector, says NCC

The Federal Government of Nigeria’s plan to reform the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in the country has been made known to the public by Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Speaking with the newsmen during the NCC Emerging Technologies Research and ICT Innovation Forum event held in Yola, Northern part of the country yesterday, Prof. Garba said that taking the ICT sector of the country out of its drawbacks has been one of the key objectives of PMB administration.

He said that the ICT Innovation Forum has become necessary to promote local content with an emphasis on the tech ecosystem, identifying unmet needs and facilitating Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

Danbatta pointed out that given the availability of information technology to serve markets globally, it was imperative that the right frameworks are developed to enhance the ability of the indigenous companies to maximally explore and exploit local opportunities and also remain globally competitive.

Also speaking, Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, challenged the management of the NCC to take ICT to the next level as part of measures to move the country forward.

The governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Bashiru Ahmad, asked the NCC to complete the abandoned ICT center in Yola to boost economic opportunities in the Northeast region.

The keynote speaker at the forum, Prof. Sahalu Junaidu, stated that for Nigeria to develop, it must increase its yearly budget for education, which he described as the bedrock of ICT development.

He noted that ICT if properly harnessed could be used to control climate change and other unfriendly environmental factors.