The Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy said there is an urgent need to fast track the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, NDEPS, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, who spoke during the virtual Final Demo and Prize Giving Day of the Nigeria COVID-19 Innovation Challenge organized by the National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA), pointed out that the NDEPS will aide a quick recovery of the economy.
The Minister noted that with the disease ravaging the country, ICT will play a great role in supporting contact tracing and physical distancing in the war against COVID-19.
According to him, ICT innovation is a perfect tool to ensure physical distancing and contact tracing of coronavirus patients.
He said the President Muhammadu Buhari government was determined to leverage on digital platforms and other opportunities for the betterment of the economy in the post COVID-19 era.
Pantani directed government agencies under the ministry to work towards providing research grants for promising innovative solutions that will help the country in the battle against coronavirus.
The concerned agencies include the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Communications Satellite Systems, Galaxy Backbone and Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).
The Minister further directed that half of the fund be invested in translating the proposed ideas into solutions.
Mr. Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director General, NITDA, who also spoke at the event, said, the country was being confronted with both economic and health crisis this year, noting that, “what is going on is unprecedented that you and I have not seen in living memory.”
The D-G noted that coronavirus was causing a health crisis, and the lockdown needed to keep the virus in check has caused economic crisis.
“What was normal just few weeks ago such as going to school, attending religious congregation, and socializing with family and friends, is now a huge risk,” he said.
Abdullahi noted that, “2019 ended in a pretty solid shape. Our economy had stabilized, the growth rate had increased from -1.62% in 2016 to 2.29% in 2019. Our budget cycle has changed from January to December. ”
He said the country celebrated the New Year with high hopes and was optimistic at the beginning of the year that it will be a great one and a great decade, adding that soon after the celebration, things started falling apart.
“Coronavirus that started as an outbreak in the Wuhan City of China spread to other parts of the world. And on 13th March, WHO declared the virus as pandemic.”
Inuwa noted that the country is prioritizing digital solution because that is the only thing working during this period.
He said that the pandemic is accelerating technology trends and shaping the future of the digital world and digital economy in general.
“Imagine being in this crisis without digital technology. Our life would have been miserable, therefore our recovery and exit strategy should be based on what is working now,” he noted.
“Our broader objective is fast recovery to normal and our mechanism is our National Digital Economy Strategy and plan. Which highlights initiatives for Digital Nigeria.
He gave reasons why the initiative was conceived as he concluded.
He said, “This programme is one of the initiatives aimed at using indigenous digital technology to contain the virus and cushion the economic impact. Our objective is to mitigate the health and social impacts of COVID-19 in Nigeria, using innovative technologies. And we hope the challenge will deliver on the following: Showcase relevant innovative technologies developed by Nigerians towards COVID-19 and the future pandemics.
“This initiative, the Nigeria COVID-19 innovation challenge is aimed at identifying innovative ideas from our talented youth, incubate, prototype and develop the ideas into a digital solution that can help us contain the virus and prepare us for post COVID-19 era.
“Facilitate and enhance processes along the prevention-detection-treatment value chain of COVID-19, cushion the financial and social impact of COVID-19 during and after the pandemic in Nigeria and possibly beyond,” he said.