The Africa Information and Communication Technologies Alliance (AfICTA) has rallied stakeholders on leveraging the digital economy and inclusivity to contribute to Nigeria’s targeted one trillion dollars economy.
The group made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the three-day 14th AfICTA Summit, held alongside the 20th Women’s Tech Week.
The conference had the theme: “Advancing Inclusive Economic Growth: The Role of Security, Digital Skills and Indigenous Content in Regional, National and SMEs Development.”
The AfICTA founder, Dr Jimson Olufuye, said Nigeria’s digital economy could play a critical role in achieving that Federal Government target.
“We believe that the digital economy can make the $1 trillion economy possible.
“World leaders have also identified the digital economy sector as the driving force behind building a formidable economy,” he said.
Olufuye cited the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 Outcome Document, the 2024 Global Digital Compact, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Nigeria’s Digital Economy Policy Framework as initiatives that support digital economy growth.
He said they were also contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said achieving the SDGs would bring the country closer to its $1 trillion economic ambition.
Olufuye further said the summit would promote collaboration among stakeholders, encourage digital development initiatives, awareness, and a reliable identity for cross-border trade, among other objectives.
Also speaking, Dr Wunmi Hassan, Chief Executive Officer, High-Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youth, advocated deliberate efforts to ensure that women, young people, children and senior citizens were part of the digital growth.
Hassan said the 20th Women’s Tech Week, which coincided with the International Day of the Girl Child on Oct. 11, underscored the importance of inclusion in achieving sustainable economic growth.
“Women and young people constitute a significant proportion of Nigeria’s population and should be equipped with practical skills to participate meaningfully in the economy.
“Digital skills development should go beyond formal education to providing people with the competencies needed to work, innovate and contribute to their communities.
“We need access, not just advocacy. We need women, not just men, in technology,” she said.
The Chairman of AfICTA, Dr Segun Olugbile, said the summit also sought to deepen technical skills among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and connect them with opportunities across different industries.
He said the informal sector offered significant opportunities for technology adoption, adding that businesses needed to keep pace with technological developments to improve their operations and competitiveness.
Mr Ikechukwu Ibeawuchi, Government Affairs Manager at Cisco Networking Academy, a skills-to-jobs programme, said data was becoming increasingly important to government services, cross-border movement, business operations and digital interactions.
He said data enabled better decision-making, Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, increased productivity and more efficient service delivery.
According to him, effective use of data can also contribute to GDP growth, job creation and improved competitiveness among SMEs.
“SMEs account for about 60 per cent of businesses in Africa, making their adoption of digital technologies important to the continent’s economic development.
“As businesses integrate technology into their operations and transactions they will generate more data that can be used to understand market trends, assess demand and identify competitive opportunities.
“Such insights can help businesses make informed decisions and improve their performance in an increasingly digital economy,” he said.
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