The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is working to collapse the physical barriers in the context of trade for economic growth regardless of location through digital technology.
NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, stated this while delivering a goodwill message at the Maiden ‘Nigeria – Cote D’Ivoire Business Roundtable and Exhibition’ at the margins of the 64th ECOWAS Summit in Abuja.
The Business Roundtable and Exhibition was a Public Private sector partnership co-hosted by the Nigerian Association of Chambers, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), on behalf of the organised private sector and the federal government of Nigeria, coordinated by the Economic, Trade and Investment Department of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The event aimed to propel a deeper private sector engagement as a remedy between the two West African countries.
Nigeria hosted the maiden edition of the Roundtable and Exhibition on Saturday 9th December 2023 while Cote D’ Ivoire will host the second edition at the margins of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition in Cote D’ Ivoire come January 2024.
According to the NITDA DG, represented by the Acting Director, Digital Economy Development Department (DED), Engr Salisu Kaka, “For Africa and Nigeria in particular to leapfrog and develop, our economy has to leverage technology.”
Inuwa, while stating the opportunities in technology for economic growth said, “It is only technology that can allow you within the comfort of your zone to advertise, sell, and promote whatever you can think of. It can be a product, it can be a service or an idea.”
He encouraged MSMEs, who are the drivers of the economy not only in Nigeria but globally to, embrace technology as that is the easiest way to increase their contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This, he said, “is captured in the 5-pillar Strategic Agenda of the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani.
Earlier in his welcome address, Director, Economic, Trade and Investment Department of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H. E. Ambassador Akinremi Bolaji said, “The event would create a good platform for Nigeria to take an assessment of her readiness, preparation, inter-Agency, and public-private sector collaboration.
“We intend to expand the presence of our private sector in Cote D’ Ivoire and the West African sub-region.”
He said the event was conceived a few weeks ago as a result of a meeting held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in November between Ambassador Bolaji and the Ambassador of Cote D’ Ivoire, H. E Kalilou Taore as a result of the observation of the challenges in deepening economic relations between the two countries.
He mentioned that both countries do well politically but continue to nose-dive in terms of trade.
Some organisations at the event were the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), and the National Action Committee of AFCFTA among others.
