By Prince Osuagwu – Hi-Tech Editor

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, renamed the Communications Technology Ministry to Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

The development, Vanguard gathered, was in answer to the prayers of the current Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, who wishes that it be so, to properly position and empower the Ministry to fulfil Digital economy objectives.

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In a statement by the special duties office of the Presidency, signed by Mrs Philomena Oshodin, a deputy director, government believes that the former name was not only limited in pursuing the objectives of a digital economy but obsolete as it did not reflect the trends as emphasized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The change of name is expected to propel the Ministry to reposition its strategic objectives to accelerate growth and social inclusion.

Sources from the ministry told Vanguard that with the new name, the ministry will now have the full stature to capture the goals of digitalisation of the Nigerian economy in line with the Economic Growth and Recovery Plan (EGRP).

However, industry professionals are saying that all expectations may not be met by just a mere name change until an appropriate framework is in place to match the objectives of a digital economy.

Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom operators in Nigeria, ALTON, Engr Gbenga Adebayo said that the new name reflects the reality of convergence. “economy of leading Nations are driven by communications. The Ministry will play a leading role towards Nigeria becoming a modern nation whose economy is fully digitised, hence will experience more rapid socio-economic development.

“It remains for the ministry to create a department for Digital Economy Services and interface with all other MDAs to adopt digital application within a short time and oversee the implementation of same across MDAs.”

He advised the Minster to ensure that the telecom sector infrastructure and supporting assets of the Sector be now classified as Critical National Infrastructure and accord them the necessary protection.

Also, Director General of Delta State innovation hub, Dr Chris Uwaje, agreed with Adebayo that the new ministry is a welcome development. He said: “With 65 per cent of our population as youths, this is a golden opportunity to positively and digitally transform Nigeria. The Ministry of Communications and Digital economy under Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami can deliver this historic mission.

“The policy that defined and established the national Policy for Information Technology on the one part and Communications Technology on the other has attained full maturity level. The Nigerian (ICT) landscape is about 20 years in conception and operation. Today, reform has become very urgent and inevitable.

“Currently, the ICT Ecosystem is crawling midstream between analog and digital processes with a high baggage of the analogue-side-of-things. This baggage of legacy systems amidst the monumental population growth restricts the efficiency of our sustainable development.”

He advised the minister to review the vision, mission and mandate of the Ministry to properly integrate the expansion.

Meanwhile, social entrepreneur and Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise working on digital inclusion and digital rights, Mr Gbenga Sesan, said that the name alone means a whole lot as it tends to drive internal vision and communicate intention to those looking from outside.

However, he expects that the ministry will start from living up to the real meaning of a Digital Economy by creating harmony between digital elements of government instead of continuing with the turf wars.

“Dr Omobola Johnson got, in principle, approval for Nigeria’s ICT Policy during the Jonathan administration but it didn’t fly quickly because the expected harmony between the then Communications Technology ministry and Information ministry didn’t agree on the need for the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission to join other converged ICT agencies in the Communications Technology ministry, among other reasons.

“We need to revisit that ICT Policy and improve on it where necessary, not start all over again as the minister who took over from Dr Johnson did.

“Secondly, we must decide between promoting a climate of fear and a culture of innovation. What we have right now, with police harassing young people who carry laptops or say they work in tech, is a disgrace to any country that wants to promote a digital economy. However, curating a culture of innovation means we break down barriers in the way of the women and men doing the work, and where government is slow to catch up they get out of the way instead of practicing death by regulation.”

President of Centre for Cyber awareness and development, CECAD, Dr Bayero Agabi, agreed with him. He wishes that the new ministry converges the National broadcasting commission (NBC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Computer Professional of Nigeria (CPN), NITDA and Galaxy backbone among others to achieve a proper digital economy.

This is as Secretary to the Governing Board, Association of Information and Communication Technology Local Content (ICTLOCA), Adebunmi Akinbo, advised the minister to focus on ensuring critical national infrastructure. He said that failure to ensure that basic foundation is laid, will make digital economy a mirage.

“It is expected that the Ministry would promote the need for consistent power supply to sustain the infrastructure. Once this layer of execution is achieved, the citizens can be able to develop strategies that the community will rely upon to boost the digital economy. That would be value.

“The Minister should understand that attempting to tax disruptive innovation will drive the global market and destroy the local initiatives that could have created employment and create jobs,” he added.

Vanguard