Challenging NITDA Towards ICT Development In Nigeria

Challenging NITDA Towards ICT Development In Nigeria

Segun Imohiosen

Considering the move of the administration of Yar’ adua on the strategic platform of operation - the Seven Point Agenda, it is very avid in tandem via the various objectives of different ministries, agencies and departments of government to work in consonance with the realisation of the set goals. This is sufficed in the engagements of all the major stakeholders that are key players in the government to see that the points highlighted are achieved in details. One of such key government functionary that has so far made an inroad is NITDA which is poised not only to locally through his activities achieve holistically the seven point agenda in its mandate as an IT body but to equally help achieve the Nigerian Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The plan of this agency is targeted at using ICT to achieve the goals of the government on the seven point agenda and that of Nigeria’s MDG initiatives and the World Summit on Information Society's plan of action

In order to develop and improve on the nation’s critical infrastructure which is apropos to the seven point agenda of the administration, the agency is poised to deliver by virtue of its positioning in the IT circle to help realise in part the agenda not only through its personnel but with regards to the available infrastructure. The critical infrastructure, human capital development and wealth creation which are on the agenda of the government can be seen to be achievable in the operations and activities of some of the agencies of science and technology ministry, especially NITDA. It is quite interesting that the idea of computer for all is one of such moves that have in its wings the projection mooted in the seven point agenda and the MDG’s target for national e-readiness and in furtherance the vision 2020. This is about the idea of human capital development. After all when the people are developed and trained in their nation by the responsibility of their government, it is a lot easier for them to automatically want to plough back to the system that has helped them realised their dreams. However, it is equally very keen to compressively contest for the fruition of achieving this vision in all ramifications. It is not good enough to just wish and state in the ears of the entire world that the desire of the government is to have Nigeria become one of the top twenty world economies in 2020. But with ICT driven initiative of which Nigeria’s own National IT Agency is championing will in no doubt bring about that change given the much needed attention on the part of the government and other critical stakeholders.

Taking a little recourse to the June 2008 outcome of the final technical meeting involving the key resource persons working on the ICT4D strategy/plan at NITDA's headquarters in Abuja, the essence of the ICT4D plan to drive the Vision 2020 initiatives is what at this point must be given a pragmatic approach in such a way that the efforts of the facilitators who came from both the agency and expatriates from the international community to birth the idea is rewarded in a bid to facilitate the vision concertedly and in totality. This is in the interest of the nation and not just for a section or a group of people who will only want to benefit themselves at the expense of the entire populace. A commendable work was done on the ICT4D strategy but if the tempo is not geared up and pursued, it may end up like a ruse. There is a reason the government in spite of its occupied hands should realise it has to deploy a lot of its energy into this sector at this point is because of the viability and the buoyancy embedded. The thinking here is that the entire world has in every sense merged to become a global village as it is popularly said, this is no other reason adduced to it other than the fact that the world is ICT driven. Without any equivocation, one major factor that can quickly help in making the dream of the administration on the 7 point agenda and 2020 vision of making Nigeria a great economy among the twenty best in the world has a lot to achieve via ICT. And this particular agency has the capacity to make a reality in collaboration with the friends of the nation under the bilateral ties. And also with other friendly collaborators like the world donor agencies that can facilitate the realization of the set goals and objective. And which in turn if significantly driven or pursued can fetch the country some economic and financial strength.

Congruously, the IT Parks which is a proclivity and also a driving force to achieving the mandate in realizing the objectives of the agenda, the MDG’s and Vision 2020, it is pertinent that as espoused by NITDA on the decentralization should be strictly adhered to on the part of the government . In this instance, government support is a must in order to have the IT Parks established in the states and to have them functioning in workable condition with the states also in active participation and the private sector in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative or scheme. As observed by a commentator that partnership is very crucial to avoid generation of institutional rivalries, duplications and ineffective coordination. All these have been the reasons why we waste resources and waste the opportunities to practically make progress. However, with keen monitoring and implementation, the success is realizable.

Nigeria has never been known to play the second fiddle in any area of life except if the interest is not keen enough. In fact, in the face of the global economic recession making rounds in the world today is not sufficient to deter this move. I read sometime in ‘Word’ that there was an unusual recession sometime long ago and that same year Isaac sowed and he reaped in hundred folds, if the dream is strong enough, it is achievable. The piece is set to give a tune that much of the 7 Point Agenda and the realization of the Vision 2020 hinge on the ICT world of which NITDA couldn’t have been set at a better time than this to help Nigeria get there.

A contributor at one time has remarked that good planning is needed in ICT for development to achieve the elusive vision 20:20. It is remarkable to note that God has blessed Nigeria with abundant human and natural resources but deployment of these resources to achieve desired development and greatness is a challenge that must be tackled with sincerity and purpose. If we are not going to compromise the setting as it is, Nigeria stands a very good chance of piloting this scheme to a safe haven where the vision will come true before we all know it. If the national interest can be pursued at this time of the life of the nation, Nigeria will achieve it. Angaye and his lieutenants are positioned to go into more research to consolidate the previous effort. I challenge Professor Cleopas Angaye and his musketeers to realise that Nigerians are waiting for them to see them reposition Nigeria globally through IT.

Going by some set goals and objectives of the agency in realizing government agenda within and internationally, these pointers for instance cannot be toyed with; to ensure that information Technology resources are readily available to promote efficient national development, to create IT awareness and ensure universal access in order to promote IT diffusion in all sectors of our national life, to ensure simple, moral, accountable, responsive and transparent governance, to eliminate waste and ensure that governance and businesses are done in the global standard of using ICT for easier, faster and cheaper delivery of services, transformation of Nigerian economy from resource based to knowledge based economy, to encourage local production and manufacture of IT components in a competitive manner in order to generate foreign earnings, to create the necessary enabling environment and facilitate private sector and foreign direct investment in the IT sector in Nigeria, to improve food production and security, to render advisory services to the public sector on IT programme and projects, to propose relevant IT legislation, to serve as clearing house for all IT procurement and services in the public sector, to ensure that Information Technology resources are readily available to promote efficient national development, to guarantee that Nigeria benefits maximally, and contribute meaningfully to the global solutions and to the challenges of the Information Age, to empower Nigerians to participate in software and IT development, to improve accessibility to public administration for all citizens, bringing transparency to government processes and a host of others. These are no mere goals; they are in totality positively consequential on the economy and foreign earnings of the nation if they are properly attended to.

My advice in this situation is that since we are blessed with a listening president, it will be very suitable that whatever will be needed to achieve the purpose of ICT4D as a means to achieving the agenda, the MDG goals and Vision 2020 is communicated to the right quarters that will get the message across to Mr. President. The Ministry of Science and Technology must be in tune in order to help NITDA get the much needed attention to have its effort rewarded. Funding cannot be compromised in the effort. The government at this time must consider having its interest further focused on this Ministry and the agency with the mandate on IT to have the Seven Point Agenda translated into reality. As such whatever it will take the government to have these efforts concretized through its support can not be overemphasized. The language for today is “CHANGE” as showcased in Obama’s campaign and eventual election as the number one American citizen. There is a need for ‘change’ on the part of the citizenry and the government in matters that have to do with the individual and our collective destiny as a nation that will bring about the much needed development in Nigeria. This is why it won’t be too much if the government through its capacity could enlist the interest of some Nigerian within and in diasporas like world renowned Philip Emeagwali to collaborate with the government to help take Nigeria to the information superhighway, even with other people like Chris Uwaje , Gbenga Sesan and other IT gurus to use their wealth of knowledge and experience bring this long awaited change that will make the 7 Point Agenda, the MDG goals and the Vision 2020 a reality.