NITDA Predicts Digital Transformation Surge in Nigeria as Global Spending Targets $1.78tn

The National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) has expressed optimism that in the coming years, there would be a drastic surge in Nigeria’s digital transformation projects in the public sector.

The Agency said this would be occasioned by the “sudden digital shift the world is currently expressing” which would make the digital transformation global spending to $1.78 trillion before the end of the year 2022.

The NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa disclosed this in Abuja during a Breakfast Session tagged “Journey to the Cloud,” organised by MainOne in partnership with NITDA to share industry trends and experience towards accelerating digital transformation in the public sector.

Inuwa, in his opening remark noted the research conducted by the International Data Corporation which predicted digital transformation investment would total $6.8 trillion between 2022 to 2023.

The NITDA boss, who was represented by the Acting Director, Digital Economy Department, Engr Salisu Kaka stated that the world’s GDP is set to be digitalised by 2022 while 70% of organisations globally will have to accelerate their use of digital technologies, transforming existing business processes and models to drive customer engagement, employee productivity, and business resiliency.

The DG NITDA attributed the digital transformation’s growth to several contributing factors that are awakening the consciousness of the world and reemphasizing the importance of digital technologies.

Inuwa said that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic was one of the reasons for the growth adding that “the pandemic necessitated the need to create a new workspace, work culture, and new competencies and capabilities; this has considerably increased the digital transformation tempo around the globe in 2020.”

According to him, NITDA has embarked on a series of initiatives to drive government-wide adoption of e-Government, digitisation of Government processes, and improvement in the maturity of the country’s digital capabilities to match the realities of the global digital economy.

He noted that “the efforts are regulatory and developmental in nature and are ultimately geared towards building a strong foundation for digital economy development and a proudly Digital Nigeria of our dreams adding that having a continuous interaction with the private sector which are the large supplier and the public sector the large consumers would enhance meeting the expectation of the sector”.

Inuwa disclosed that the establishment of the Digital Transformation Technical Working Groups in the Federal Public Institutions was necessitated by the approval and the launch of the Nigeria e-Government Master Plan by the Federal Executive Council and the launching of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy.

He highlighted that the two documents have provided “clear directions for the government’s digital transformation of the economy and the society for a digital Nigeria.”

“The objectives of these two documents required building appropriate human capabilities, partnerships, co-creating, and knowledge-sharing environments”, stressing that it drives NITDA to continually seek partnerships that can further enrich our digital transformation Journey for a digital Nigeria.

Inuwa disclosed that NITDA is already preparing the Digital Transformation Technical Working Groups (DTTWGs) to lead the journey in their organisations while DTTWG has been inaugurated in 100 federal public institutions.

The membership cut across personnel from Technical, Procurement, Admin, and the Directorate cadres.

The DG maintained that continuous co-creation engagement with the DT-TWGs chairmen and key technology industry players and service providers will enable the sharing of experience, successes and challenges.

MainOne Chief Executive Officer, Funke Opeke who was represented by the company’s Head, Enterprise and Regional Business, Olubunmi Ogun disclosed the company has developed a reputation for providing highly reliable services.

Opeke said the company today has provided Microsoft services for client which involves creation of applications to aid ease operations adding that the acquisition of the company by Equinix would ensure more values are derived from the services of the company.