The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called on individuals, governments, private sector, academic and others in the society for more collaboration to enhance digital economy sector to develop the country.

Dr Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA, made the call at the stakeholders engagement and ecosystem development programme, organised by the agency which on Thursday in Akure.

The theme of the programme was “Creating opportunities, breaking boundaries towards digitalization and entrepreneurial evolution”.

Inuwa, who was represented by Mr Oladejo Olawumi, Director, Standard Guidelines and Framework in the agency, said if digital technology could be adopted by all, it would provide opportunities for all parts of the economy, especially health, education and agriculture.

The DG, who explained that the agency had established Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), said it was now that digital technology should became a part of every aspect of the society.

According to him, modern digital technologies have changed how uncertainty in business processes and results works and how to handle the uncertainty.

“It is not just a fancy word but it is what causes big changes in industries. It changes the way we do business, take care of our health, educate ourselves, and even govern.

“So,  digitalisation changes things for the better, eliminates obstacles, and creates new chances that we couldn’t even think of before. Our responsibility is to take hold of these possibilities and use them to transform society.

“Let us be the architects of a future where opportunities are abundant, boundaries are shattered, and every entrepreneur’s vision finds a productive ground to flourish.

“Together, we have the power to shape the destiny of our digital nation,” Inuwa said.

Dr Mohammed Agbali, Senior Manager, Research and Development in NITDA, who presented a paper, said it was time for citizens to take advantage and opportunity in digital economy sector for the development of the country.

According to him, the opportunity to create job on Nigeria today is more available in digital economy than any other sectors.

Agbali explained that Apple and Amazon were contributing to the development of the USA in terms of tax and employment, saying that Nigerians needed to grow their own company so that the country could develop economically.

“Let us start supporting digital technology companies in Nigeria so that they can develop to the level of contributing to the development and economy of the country,” he said.

He, therefore, called on youths to take the advantage of digital economy to build skills so that they could participate adequately in the space.

Mr Olumbe Akinkugbe, Chairman of the  Ondo State Information Technology Agency (SITA), said the state would continue to support NITDA for them to achieve their aims in digital economy.

Akinkugbe said the  stakeholders’ engagement would move the state and county forward, to ensure the digital- based entrepreneurship and economy.

The SITA chairman said that the state had made entrepreneurial activities seamless by creating the enabling environment for the people through SITA for the government activities in I.T solution.

“This stakeholders engagement will enhance greater development in the digital economy of the state and I have no doubt in my mind that NITDA has thought it well in the choice of the state.

“We will continue to welcome such opportunity in future and also support NITDA collaboration and partnership toward rapid development,” he said.

One of the participants, Mr Godspower Otali, CEO of Wetin Dey Code Academy, appreciated the agency for bringing the programme to the grassroots.

He said it had bridged gap between the government and people, and also boosted the morale of the youth in the state and county at large.

According to Otali, youths need to equip and develop themselves in the skills of ITC to change their life for better in the future.

“It’s right time our people come to technology space because that’s the new blood money in the country.

“Oil has failed us, everything has failed us but digital space and digital skills is not failing us, so, I will encourage everyone, especially youths, to get digital skills,” he said.

The Anambra Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Agency, says plans are underway to digitise the state legislative processes to make residents have digital access to the laws and other legislative instruments.

Mr Chukwuemeka Agbata, Managing Director, Anambra ICT Agency, made the disclosure when he visited the Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze, in his office on Monday.

Agbata said that since Gov.

Chukwuma Soludo’s administration kick started the ‘Everything Technology and Technology Everywhere’ vision, the ICT agency had taken initiatives to bring other arms of government on board.

He said that the agency had identified areas of improvement in the online presence of the State House of Assembly.

“We want to see how we can ensure that proceedings of the Assembly are digitised to enable constituents have a feel of the efforts of their representatives in the House.

“Lagos State House of Assembly has a portal with pages for the legislators, their works, motions and Bills they have sponsored, all captured for easy access by the constituents.

” This is a positive model we can borrow as a forward-looking state. We will also get for our legislators a domain name and email addresses, to ease communication among themselves.

“We want to work with the House to reproduce all the laws and bye-laws of the state in digital formats, so that in the event of any mishap, we will not be losing so much, as they must have been backed up in the cloud,” he said.

Agbata sought the collaboration of the assembly to achieve the project.

“Gov. Soludo has that vision of a liveable and prosperous smart city and as an agency, we are playing our part effectively but we need every support we can get, “Agbata said.

Also speaking, Mr Jude Emesim, a Digital Investment Lead, said that the digitisation would allow constituents’ inputs in the legislative processes and bridge the gap between the elected members and their constituents.

Responding, the speaker said the 8th Assembly under his watch is committed to doing things differently in line with the governor’s vision.

Udeze lamented that everything done in the assembly is still in analogue form compared to other states.

“Having the documentation of the state laws in digital format, will give the people access, reduce duplication of legislative efforts and ensure absence of conflict of motions and laws.

“I want to assure you that the 8th Assembly will embrace technology to ease its processes and ensure it is effective in fulfilling its obligations as an arm of government,” Udeze said.

The Association of Corporate Affairs Managers of Banks (ACAMB) has urged traditional financial institutions to embrace innovation and adapt in a changing environment to remain relevant.

The President of ACAMB, Mr Rasheed Bolarinwa, gave the advice at the association’s second National Stakeholder Conference 2023 edition in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference was: “Marketing Financial Services in Dynamic Times.

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“As good news as this seems to be, for us as financial services providers, the rate at which fintechs and neo-banks have, and continue to transform the finance industry, is a wake-up call for the traditional financial institutions to keep up with latest innovations in order to succeed and thrive.

“Part of the imperative of these dynamic times is the demand on us in the industry to embrace innovation, adaptation, and agility if we must remain relevant in today’s marketplace,’’ he said.

According to him, the topic underscores the dynamism of the times we live in and the impact on the financial services industry.

Bolarinwa said among the key indicators of these dynamic times were macroeconomic headwinds that redefine the financial market as well as other markets across the board.

He added that rising inflationary trend, purchasing power parity and supply shocks occasioned by foreign exchange scarcity had a significant impact on production and ability of people to save money and invest.

He said digitalisation was also a major trend that was rapidly disrupting the general ecosystem including the financial services sector.

Bolarinwa noted that consumer’s behaviour was being altered as the mode of buying and selling shifted from the brick-and-mortar traditional mode to online purchases, while fostering increasing adoption of digital payment systems.

According to him, it is not just that; demand for safer, faster and cost-efficient services is also getting higher as consumers become more sophisticated while competition also gets fiercer by the day.

The Lead Partner, CMC Connect LLP, Mr Yomi Badejo-Okunsanya, urged financial institutions to rebuild customer trust by finding new ways to meet their needs.

According to him, a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers Ltd. reveals that only 39 per cent of Nigerians trust their banks in contrast to the global average of 56 per cent.

He said, “this lack of trust impedes financial inclusion and digital service adaptation.

“When you are promoting your product, you make it look easy in the promotion but when I get there you make it very difficult.’’

Okunsanya urged the banks to know their customers and market, adding that the era of mass marketing was gone.

He said, “in those days when you wanted to sell financial products, you just put a couple of pretty girls in a sweet looking car and sometimes, the higher their skirt line, the better; but you cannot do that anymore.

“A customer has become so aware; the issues of corporate governance does not allow that anymore and also how many banks were there in those days compared to how many they are now? So, competition is key.’’

He also advised financial institutions and other industries to create a strong and active research and development unit in order to succeed.

Okunsanya noted that institutions were not investing enough in research and service.

He added that innovation and digital revolution was one of the most significant effects of the digital evolution in finance urging banks to democratise financial services, among others.

NAN reports that ACAMB is a body of corporate affairs and marketing communication professionals in Nigerian banks.