• Friday, March 29, 2024
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e-Government confab to address low revenue generation, unemployment and challenges of telecoms operation

ICT sector

Given the low internally generated revenue (IGR) by the state and federal governments, huge ICT infrastructure deficiency and massive youth unemployment rate in Nigeria, which increased to 23.1 percent in the third quarter of 2018 from 22.7 percent in the second quarter of 2018, DigiServe Network Services Limited in partnership with the federal ministry of communication technology, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Association of Telecoms companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) will be holding a one day conference to discuss how technology adoption in government can boost government IGR, enhance Government service delivery and reduce unemployment in the country.

With industry stakeholders and government agency representatives discussing the theme; ‘eGovernment: Powering Governance with ICT’, the conference provides an opportunity for the stakeholders to discuss the recently approved national eGovernment plan and parley on how to remove the barriers militating against the growth of the Nigerian telecoms and ICT sector.

According to Lanre Ajayi, the executive chairman of DigiServe Network Services Limited, “Nigeria is said to be the poverty capital of the world, having the highest number of people living below the poverty line. The combined IGR for all the states in Nigeria in the year 2018 is said to be a mere N1.6 trillion, which is just about the revenue of just one telecoms company operating in Nigeria. One of the ways of reversing this gloomy picture is to mainstream technology in governance.”

Ajayi further explained that the Nigeria eGovernment Conference would provide a platform where government officials and experts in various specializations in ICT can interact, share perspective and develop roadmap to mainstreaming ICT in various departments of government. He assured Nigerians that the conference would not just be another talk shop, but an avenue to proffer practical solutions to real-life problem.

“We are assembling top notch experts and world-class ICT service providers to come and share their expertise on how to deepen ICT in governance. The resolutions at the conference will be printed in book format and delivered to relevant government agencies and other stakeholders, with a view to ensuring implementation of the resolutions” Ajayi said.

The conference, which is scheduled to hold on October 24 in Lagos, has attracted top government officials and major players in the private sector. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, is expected to deliver the opening speech as the host governor, while Ernest Ndukwe, the chairman, board of directors, MTN Nigeria will present the keynote address.

Other confirmed keynote presenters include Jim Ovia, the chairman, board of directors, Zenith Bank, Babatunde Fowler, executive chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and chairman Joint Tax Board (JTB) and Ali Isa Ibrahim Pantami, the minister for communications technology.

Kayode Fayemi, the governor of Ekiti state and chairman of the governor’s forum is expected to chair the panel made up of other governors, other panel chairs include; Funke Opeke, the CEO of MainOne, Segun Ogunsanya, CEO of Airtel, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, country manager, Google Nigeria and Sehinde Oladapo, managing director, GMT Energy.

Panel sessions will be held with top professionals in the telecommunications and technology industry and government agencies.

 

Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson