Digital economy saves FG N45.7bn in IT projects – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the digital economy sector has been most successful in the diversification of the nation’s economy as it saves the federal government over N45.7 billion in IT projects clearance. The president stated this Thursday at the State House, Abuja, when he unveiled and launched two new policies developed by the Ministry […]

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the digital economy sector has been most successful in the diversification of the nation’s economy as it saves the federal government over N45.7 billion in IT projects clearance.

The president stated this Thursday at the State House, Abuja, when he unveiled and launched two new policies developed by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

President Buhari, who attributed the two policies to the diversification and prosperity of the economy, said the National Policy on the Nigerian Government Second-Level Domains and the National Data Policy were central to accelerating the development of the nation’s digital economy sector.

The president, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, said Nigeria’s strides towards a thriving digital economy started on October 17, 2019 with the redesignation of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the restructuring of its mandate, adding that the changes had been phenomenal.

On the recent deployment of Starlink services by SpaceX in Nigeria, first of its kind in Africa, the president expressed his delight, saying: “We are glad that Starlink services are already deployed in Nigeria. This has made Nigeria the first and only African country to have this link. With the deployment of Starlink services in Nigeria, we have 100 per cent broadband penetration in Nigeria.”

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, said the two policies being launched were outcomes of compliance with the president’s directive to come up with a national policy that was earlier approved by the Federal Executive Council, adding that the policies were targeted at consolidating on the gains achieved so far in the digital ecosystem.

On the National Data Policy, Prof. Pantami restated the indispensability of data in national life, stressing that data was critical and could be leveraged for the development of other sectors of the economy.