Report By Bello Wakili; Editing by Basirat Memudu
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to developing Nigeria’s digital economy to create jobs and empower the youth.
He made this pledge at the state House Abuja while receiving a report from participants of the Senior Executive Course 46 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), which focused on digital economy, youth empowerment, and job creation.
The report recommended key actions, including fast-tracking the passage of the Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, eliminating Right of Way fees for telecom infrastructure, and mandating government agencies to migrate to the OneGov.ng portal.
Other suggestions included boosting funding for the 3MTT scheme, transitioning to IPv6, and establishing Digital Health Innovation Hubs.
In response, President Bola Tinubu directed the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to work with relevant agencies to review and implement the recommendations.
He emphasized that youth empowerment through technology and innovation is a top priority, stressing that Nigeria must leverage its young population for economic growth.
The President acknowledged overlapping government agencies as a challenge and assured that his administration would streamline responsibilities for better efficiency.
He commended the NIPSS participants for their research and pledged continued collaboration with the Institute.
Highlighting the role of data in national planning, President Tinubu who linked the digital economy agenda to the upcoming national census, which he discussed earlier with the National Population Commission (NPC) stressed that accurate data is essential for effective governance and resource allocation.
The Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani, revealed that the Digital Economy Bill would undergo public hearings in all states before its passage in 2025.
He also announced that 11 states had agreed to waive Right of Way fees to accelerate broadband expansion, with more expected to follow.
“Nigeria is also advancing its internet infrastructure, aiming to be one of Africa’s first countries to transition fully to IPv6. A $2 billion investment into 90,000 km of fibre optic cables has been approved, making Nigeria’s network the third-largest in Africa, backed by a $500 million commitment from the World Bank”, he stated.
Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, noted that the ICT sector contributed 16% to Nigeria’s GDP in 2024.
He highlighted a recent meeting between President Tinubu and Flutterwave’s CEO, where the fintech company pledged to support Nigerian youth and small businesses, with plans to list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
