NITDA hosts maiden ICT consumer protection forum in Nigeria

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has organised a forum to help citizens express their grievances as they  relates to indigenous IT products and services and settle such without resorting to litigation. Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, the Director General of NITDA, represented by Dr Usman Gambo Abdullahi, Director IT Infrastructure Solutions, at   Webinar […]

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has organised a forum to help citizens express their grievances as they  relates to indigenous IT products and services and settle such without resorting to litigation.

Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, the Director General of NITDA, represented by Dr Usman Gambo Abdullahi, Director IT Infrastructure Solutions, at   Webinar with theme: “Virtual Digital Services Consumer Protection  Forum”, where a Draft Framework on Alternative Dispute Resolution for the ICT Sector was presented for review said the event was very critical to the success of NITDA’s strategy which is aimed at building qualitative indigenous content for consumption in the ICT sector.

Abdullahi explained that the multiple complaints and quality of ICT products and services led to the conceptualisation of the consumer forum as well as drafting the alternative dispute resolution in ICT framework.

He expressed concern that leaving such issues unattended will lead to lack of confidence in local ICT products and services, which in turn will lead to very low patronage and job losses.

Abdullahi maintained that NITDA’s aim was to protect digital products and services for consumers while also encouraging Nigerians to buy made in Nigeria ICT products.

He further noted that during Coronavirus pandemic, NITDA had been playing its role in ensuring that it maximizes opportunities embedded in the challenges posed by the pandemic with government taking over the challenges of the information technology sector from a holistic point of view.

Earlier in his remarks, Mr Olayinka Adejube, Director Standards Guidelines and Frameworks said the event was for service consumers and digital service providers to interact on possible ways of improvement.

“This event is to bring consumer and service providers to interact and see areas where there is need to work together to ensure that the essence of all the investment in digital economy is not wasted”, said Adejube.