- States five integral, interconnected pillars
- To train 3m talents in next four years
- Identifies nine policies for review, implementation
- Boosts broadband penetration to 70 per cent by end of 2025
The Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, on Monday released a 31-page blueprint document that highlights the ministry’s plans for the transformative power of digital technology and innovation to strengthen the nation’s economy.
He made the announcement on his profile on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
The document titled, ‘Accelerating our collective prosperity through technical efficiency,’ is said to be a critical launchpad in the journey “towards a Nigeria that thrives in the digital age,” Tijani stated in the preface.
The minister said the strategic blueprint outlines the ministry’s focus areas which were drafted “based on extensive engagement with stakeholders from our ministry – departments, units and parastatals, ecosystem stakeholders and my immediate team.”
He stated that the blueprint is a “detailed and progressive framework” that encompasses five interconnected pillars which are: Knowledge, Policy, Infrastructure, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Capital, and Trade.
He noted that the pillars are integral and form the foundation of the ministry’s strategy.
In this piece, PUNCH Online summarises the key excerpts in the document.
1. KNOWLEDGE
While providing insights on this first pillar, Tijani stressed the importance of talent development, adding that the ministry is committed to training three million early to mid-career technical talents over the next four years, and also prioritise their job placements.
He added that the strategy seeks to place Nigeria in the top 25 per cent percentile in research on the global stage, which will cut across Artificial Intelligence, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Internet of Things, Robotics, Blockchain and Additive Manufacturing.
He also noted that “our mission to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030 is a critical pillar in our vision for a digitally inclusive nation.”
2. POLICY
The minister described the second pillar as one, which when designed and executed, will provide a platform for innovation and entrepreneurship to thrive.
“Over the next four years, our policies will focus on encouraging investment, research and development, and the protection of intellectual property,” he said..
Tijani also identified nine policy initiatives for review and implementation. These are the Nigeria National Broadband Plan, National Policy on Digital Public Infrastructure, National Policy on Telecommunications, National Blockchain Policy, National Digital Economy Bill, Nigeria Startup Act, National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, National Data Strategy and National Digital Literacy Framework.
3. INFRASTRUCTURE
The CC Hub co-founder emphasised the significance of this pillar, saying it “will catalyse a digital transformation that impacts our entire population” by connecting communities and businesses.
Tijani stated that in order to ensure the connectivity of the citizens, the ministry “will focus on executing
our broadband strategy to lay 95,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable across the country.”
He also said they will “set up a comprehensive” Digital Public Infrastructure which will be supported by the introduction of ‘OneGOV,’ a one-stop shop for access to all government services, which will be launched by the end of 2024.
Also highlighted under this pillar are: Improve business model for the Nigerian Postal Service and modernise 50 per cent of NIPOST’s locations by the end of 2027, Drive up capacity utilisation of the Nigerian Communications Satellite to about 75 per cent by the end of 2027, and also increase the regional market share of the satellite.
4. INNOVATION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CAPITAL
Tijani said the ministry is committed to boosting the growth of startups, specifically those providing solutions for critical sectors of the nation’s economy.
“Our primary objective is to stimulate the growth and sustainability of startups, with a specific focus on those developing innovative solutions for critical sectors in our economy,” he said.
He noted that in collaboration with other ministries and parastatals including private sector stakeholders, the ministry “will back programmes focused on AgriTech, HealthTech, EdTech, MediaTech, CleanTech, CreTech, among others.”
5. TRADE
Under the fifth pillar as outlined in the blueprint, the ministry is committed to positioning Nigeria “as a major player in the African and global technology ecosystem.”
Tijani stated that the ministry aims to improve Nigeria’s ranking in the Economic Complexity Index in technology, from 99 percentile to 75 percentile, including a 500 per cent intra-African trade growth by 2027.
He further stated that the ministry has designed a novel tool called the ‘Public Sector Project Complexity Index’ which will “guide how we identify and prioritise projects that contribute towards achieving our goals.
Tijani stressed that the plans as explained in the blueprint are in tandem with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda,.’
