Federal Government Approves Establishment Of Digital Literacy Council

Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu

Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has approved the establishment of a Digital Literacy Council of Nigeria, for the development of a National Policy on Digital Literacy, through which appropriate guidelines and standards in Nigeria would be promoted.

The Guardian Nigeria report continues:

The Council is expected to develop a National Digital Literacy Policy and Strategic Action Plan for the implementation of this initiative as well as identify and harness opportunities for partnerships.

The minister who made this disclosure Tuesday in Lagos, while delivering a keynote address at the 2017 Digital Citizenship Summit Nigeria, at the University of Lagos, said this is in order to provide digital literacy services to Nigerian citizens irrespective of their geographical location within the country.

He added that the Council’s decisions will be implemented by the Digital Literacy Management Committee under the leadership of the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). The Council is already deliberating on its operational methods.

Shittu stressed that “digital literacy is beneficial, because it is a requirement for an individual to be competitive and be best prepared for today’s business world of advanced technology. It makes learning faster, allows everyone to study at his own pace, lookup words, data, facts, figures etc; saves hours per month for tasks that could only be done offline; and a means to employment because most jobs today require some form of computer literacy.”

He further brought to the knowledge of Nigerians, various efforts of the Federal Government in prioritizing ICT, such as the plan to establish a specialized ICT Development Bank for the development of the ICT industry. This will cater for the needs of operators in the ICT industry, which the regular banks cannot provide because of the time it takes to develop ICT products and services.

“In present day’s high-tech world, digital literacy is a requirement for an individual to be competitive and be best prepared for today’s business world of advanced technology.”

It is the ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers. It came to the fore in the last decade with the advent of platforms and apps that have changed the way our world works.

“There are numerous digital applications that we cannot do without them today such as, Mobile Money transactions, e-verification apps that allow people to verify the authenticity of drugs and other products, e-learning, online transactions, Health, Education, Banking, workforce, bills payments, etc,” he said.

He said the Ministry has done so much to ensure the development of the Information and Communications Technology industry in Nigeria, and has remained committed in its doggedness to address relevant issues despite various challenges facing the sector by working with all stakeholders to provide it with guidance and direction.

Fed Govt To Create Digital Single Market – Minister

News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, says that the Federal Government will create a Digital Single Market for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

Shittu made this known in Lagos on Tuesday at the 2017 Information Communication Technology and Telecommunications (ICTEL) Expo.

The Digital Single Market is one in which the free movement of persons, services and capital are ensured.

It is also where individuals and businesses can seamlessly access and exercise online activities under conditions of fair competition.

Shittu said that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Communications, was collaborating with the European Union Commission to create the digital single market in Nigeria.

He said the collaboration came at a time the ministry was making concerted efforts to implement its ICT Strategic Roadmap, e-Government and Mobile Broadband Plans.

The minister said he had instructed that a committee, comprising the ministry’s agencies and the Nigerian Computer Society be set up, on the new Digital Single Market paradigm, ahead of the EU/Africa Summit, holding in November at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He said the size of Nigeria made it the most lucrative investment destination in sub-Sahara Africa with a high return on investments.

He said the country, also as an emerging market, is one of the new frontiers for investments and digital market consideration.

Shittu said the Ministry of Communications was leveraging on ICT to implement Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda.

He said the present administration had hinged the economic recovery plans of the country on ICTs, as well as on fiscal and strategic policies.

According to him, the efforts of the ministry was codified in a document known as the ICT Roadmap, which components included the hosting of the Smart Cities Summit, precisely on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9.

The minister said the ICT sector had in the past year, recorded landmark activities and significant achievements.

”The environment for greater achievements has thus been created.

”Now, there is greater access to ICT and Nigerians are today able to use ICT, thus integrating them into the global digital economy and its benefits.

”Although challenges still abound, implementation of already mapped out initiatives and programmes will ensure the optimal transformation of Nigeria to a true smart state,” he said.

He noted that despite coming up with the economic growth and recovery plan, the ministry was determined to actualize the contents of their comprehensive ICT Roadmap.

”This, to my mind, is imperative for the country’s highly import-dependent and consumption-driven economy.

”We are in a technology-driven World. The success of any venture without technology is doubtful,” he said.

The minister urged the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry to mobilise the private sector for the needed collaboration with government, so that adequate local and foreign investments could be sourced for the sector.

He also enjoined the chamber to key into Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, to revive the economy as well as explore the enormous potentials of the sector to advance the economy.