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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has lamented the snail pace at which government institutions are adopting Information and Communication Technology (ICT), stressing the institutions have lagged behind far too long, and have to turn a new leaf.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, represented by the Executive Commissioner, Sunday Dare, made the lamentation at the Beacon of ICT Distinguished Lecture/Awards Series in Lagos.
He noted that while “our youth have fully embraced ICT, our government, institutions both public and private are still in the process of adopting ICT in their operations and activities. Yet, the future lies in ICT. Nigeria must make deliberate policies that will accelerate ICT penetration.”
While regretting the technology weaknesses among public institutions, he however disclosed that government has made some commendable strides in adopting ICT in various aspects of its operations.
“However, a more systematic and accelerated approach will yield more dividends; create more opportunities and jobs for the economy and our teeming youth,” he stated.
According to him, Nigeria is yet to acquire the full dividends of the ICT revolution.
“Nigeria, though already plugged into the ICT ecosystem, is yet to harvest fully the dividends of the ICT revolution sweeping across the world,” Danbatta said, adding that ICT has become a one-stop shop for modern tools of development, innovation, employment opportunities and for a smarter world.
He said that as the world moved towards the Fifth Generation (5G) revolution and the Internet of Things (IoT), Nigeria must embrace fully the opportunities offered by the ICT.
The NCC EVC said that Nigeria’s ICT initiatives must focus on cyber crimes, cyber security, indigenous software development, digital multimedia platforms, amongst others.
Convener of BoICT, Ken Nwogbo, said that the lecture is aimed at charting the way forward for the ICT sector in order to put the country on the global ICT map.
Nwogbo said that the awards were to reward best practices and recognize outstanding contributions to the growth of the sector.