The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the body responsible for facilitating ICT growth for development in Nigeria has completed its assignment on the nation's ICT for development (ICT4D) strategy/plan. This was the outcome of the final technical meeting involving the key resource persons working on the document Tuesday, 17th June, 2008 at NITDA's headquarters in Abuja.

In attendance at the final meeting were the key resource persons including Professor Charles Akinyokun, Dr. John Dada, Dr. Ado Dan-Isa, Jide Awe, Bankole Olubamise, Adeolu Odusote and Hakeem Ajijola, The NITDA Director General, Professor C. O. Angaye and NITDA directors were also present.

The national ICT4D plan is targeted at using ICT to achieve the government's Seven Point Agenda and "Vision 20: 2020," thereby deploying ICT to achieve Nigeria's Millennial Development Goals, NEPAD development initiatives and the World Summit on Information Society's plan of action. It contains actionable programs for short-, medium- and long-term implementation by identified stakeholders (in conjunction with local and/or international private organizations).

Specific sectors with ICT plan actions, strategies for implementation and timelines include education, agriculture, health, e-government, infrastructure, human resources, research and development, legal and regulatory framework, national security and law enforcement, legislature and governance, IT popularization and deployment in communities, and the private sector development cluster (which covers trade and commerce, banking, tourism, the service sector, industrial sector development, and local and foreign direct investment, amongst others).

Commenting at the final meeting of experts, Professor C.O. Angaye, director-general of NITDA, stated that he is satisfied with the document and that the next stage will be to present the plan to the minister of science and technology for onward presentation to the president and the Federal Executive Council. He promised the committee of experts all necessary machinery has been put in place to facilitate the immediate implementation of the plan.

The chairman of the national committee, Dr. Takang Armstrong, also thanked the experts for their cooperation and input regarding the successful completion of the national assignment. He reiterated the need to create awareness for the document and facilitate support for implementation by all MDAs, states and other stakeholders.

Dr. Moses Ubaru - coordinator of the ICT4D development activities and director of planning, research and statistics for NITDA - noted the timeliness of the Nigerian ICT4D Strategic Action Plan's completion, as the present administration is seeking ways of mainstreaming ICT4D in "Vision 20: 2020." Moreover, he advised that NITDA work very closely with the National Planning Commission to ensure that the final ICT4D document serves as the working document for ICT4D in "Vision 20: 2020."

On the part of the ECA consultant, Prof. Clement Dzidonu, who has supervised work on ICT4D over the past four years, called the plan the most comprehensive ICT4D document in the whole of Africa, capable of moving the Nigerian economy to the next level.

 

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COMMENTS for "National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) completes ICT4D Plan to Drive Vision 2020":

August 8, 2008   Umar Bindir of Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Abuja says:	Well done NITDA and congratulations Prof Angaye. Without pre-empting the details of the plan, I hope the plan will be decoded to produce a very clear, implementable and monitorable implementation blueprint that will detail all the programmes, projects, resources required and targets. Such will make it easy for other stakeholders to clearly key into the plan. Furthermore, I must comment that partnerships is very crucial to avoid generation of institutional rivalries, duplications and ineffective coordination. All these have been the reasons why we waste resources and waste the opportunities to practically make progress.   Good luck!.
July 22, 2008   Abdullahi Abdullahi Kabomo from Bakori Lga, Katsina State says:	I will like commend you on your efforts to actualize Nigeria vision 2020 to became one of the twenty top economies in world and use ICTs as tools and instruments to achieve this. We are proud of the plan.
July 7, 2008   Dele Oloniyo from Abuja, Nigeria says:	Good planning is needed in ICT for development to achieve the elusive vision 20:20. It is remarkable to note that God has blessed Nigeria with abundant human and natural resources but deployment of these resources to achieve desired development and greatness is a challenge that must be tackled with sincerity and purpose. Our leaders must be told that this plan must not rot away in the cooler of our NATIONAL ARCHIVES.
July 2, 2008   Dan Ebi from Warri, Delta State says:	Good resource people used. But we wait to see what it will be like. We hope it will be realistic and not just another paper work.