Participants of the Senior Executive Course 46 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, have called on President Bola Tinubu to expedite the passage of the Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill 2024 to accelerate Nigeria’s technological transformation.
The group also urged the federal government to encourage states to waive right-of-way fees for telecom infrastructure deployment to enhance nationwide broadband connectivity.
The recommendations were presented on Monday when President Tinubu received a report titled “Digital Economy, Youth Empowerment, and Sustainable Job Creation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities” from NIPSS course participants.
In response, Tinubu reiterated his administration’s dedication to developing the digital economy as a strategy to empower youth and create sustainable jobs.
As part of their proposals, NIPSS participants recommended that the president issue an Executive Order mandating all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to migrate to the OneGov.ng portal for unified digital governance.
They also advocated the adoption of a Quintuple-Helix Model to drive youth empowerment and digital transformation, alongside policies such as:
Long-term funding for the 3MTT scheme to enhance digital skills training.
Accelerating Nigeria’s transition from IPv4 to IPv6 to improve internet efficiency.
Establishing Digital Health Innovation Hubs to strengthen healthcare technology.
Developing a preventive maintenance application for the nation’s automotive industry.
Tinubu directed the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to work with the NIPSS team and present their recommendations to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Head of the Civil Service for seamless implementation.
Highlighting Nigeria’s progress in internet technology, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, noted that the country is on track to become one of the first in Africa to fully migrate from IPv4 to IPv6.
He also revealed that in 2024, the federal government approved a $2 billion investment to deploy 90,000 kilometers of fibre optic cables—a project that will establish Africa’s third-longest fibre network after South Africa and Egypt.
According to Tijani, the initiative has gained substantial support, including a $500 million funding commitment from the World Bank.
Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, emphasized the ICT sector’s increasing role in economic growth, noting that it contributed 16% to Nigeria’s GDP in 2024.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prioritizing technology as a driver of economic stability and job creation.
Edun also referenced President Tinubu’s recent engagement with Flutterwave CEO, during which the fintech company pledged to support Nigerian youth and SMEs through technology-driven solutions.
“Flutterwave is considering listing on Nigeria’s Stock Exchange, and we expect this move to further strengthen the tech and payments ecosystem,” Edun stated.
With these advancements, Nigeria is positioning itself as a leading player in Africa’s digital economy, with increased investment and policy reforms aimed at unlocking the sector’s full potential.
