By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has set up a working
group to collate position of business stakeholders on the National
Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) proposed Bill on
Digital Economy.
This was arrived at after a consultation meeting organised by the
National Chamber Policy Centre of the Nigerian Association of Chambers
of Commerce, Industry and Mines (NACCIMA) and ACCI with stakeholders
in the ICT sector today.

A statement by the spokeswoman of ACCI, Olayemi John- Mensah on Friday
said the new Bill proposed by NITDA has been generating controversies
due to sessions targeted to stifle the tech sector in the country.
The Vice President, Technology, Skills and Digital Economy, ACCI, Mr.
Osi Imomoh who chaired the meeting said the ambiguous sections of the
Bill which is currently generating reaction within and outside Nigeria
on its threat to the ICT business community should rather be properly
spelt out to help operators in the Information Communication and
Technology Industry fully understand what implications this might have
for their businesses.
“Concerns have been raised within Nigeria and the American Business
Council over the proposed Bill yet to be passed into law. The
functions of the Agency according to reactions are not also properly
spelt out”, he said.
He called on participants at the meeting to look at the sections that
infringe on ICT business and engage NITDA in those area rather than
tackling every issue adding that the Chamber is conveying this meeting
in the interest of business community to address some of these
bottlenecks and also engage NITDA to amend some of the sessions that
are infringing on ICT business operations in Nigeria.
The Director General ACCI, Victoria Akai also stated that a lot has
been said about the Bill particularly the threat it poses to ICT in
some session adding that as in compliance with the tradition of policy
advocacy, we decided to convey this internal consultation meeting.
“We intend to gather the viewpoints of our members which will now
inform the stand to be taken by the Chamber’s leadership. Our
deliberations here today will generate specific amendment to the
provision of the Bill as proposed by NITDA. Our proposed amendment to
the Bill will then be forwarded to the Director General, NITDA and the
Minister of Communication and Digital Economy. Our resolutions here,
will also form the bases of our media engagement which will push for
the protection of the interest of the business community”, she noted.
Amb Segun Olugbile in a review of the Bill stated that the content of
the Bill does not suggest any kind of development for the tech sector
but instead proposing what will cripple the digital economy rather
than encouraging development.
He said there are things expected of NITDA adding that the meeting is
not to be confrontational to the government but to brainstorm on NITDA
Acts to find a way forward, create more jobs opportunities and good
business environment for the tech sector.
He said “from the look of things, we now have an agency that wants to
take control of everything including, licensing, registration,
regulations, authorisations and others adding that the excess of this
engagement is to bring to the issue to the attention of the public and
ensure that the private sector help to shape the opinion of the public
sector.
“We have to engage the Minister in whatever is going on. We should let
him know that what they are about to do will affect business. We
should stress the important of the benefits that can come when you
encourage innovations and draw attention of government to specific
benefits of digital economy.”
Amb Olugbile called on the organised private sectors like NACCIMA to
engage NITDA to help shape any policy coming from the government while
saying that the Bill cannot work if NACCIMA is not carried along to
represent organised private business in Nigeria.
The  eight-man working committee headed by Amb Olugbile was
constituted to carry out a proper review of the Bill and come up with
action and recommendation to be submitted in two weeks’ time.
Other members of the group include; Mr. Olawale Rasheed, Mrs. Hannah
Eke, Yusuf Belgore, Dr. Anthonia Asheidu, Dr. Christomary Udokang, Bar
Isaac Adeyanju and Bar Echoga Caleb.