1. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ICT IN NIGERIA
By Prof. G.O. Ajayi Director-General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Abuja, Nigeria at UNESCO , France
24/11/2018

2. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
Introduction
Every nation has a price to pay for technological development. Science and Technology is the bedrock of this development.
The Science & Technology sector in general and Information & Communications Technology (ICT), in particular, represent areas that must be addressed for sustainable technological growth.
Three technological waves driving global economic development are:
Information Technology
Material Science
Biotechnology
Technology is changing at an unprecedented rate and, without the proper machinery in place, one stands the risk of being left behind
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3. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
Statistics on Nigeria
Nigeria is a nation of about 120 million people;
According to the African Development Report of the year 2001, our GDP per capita is $310.
54% of labour force works in agriculture, 40% in services and 6% in industry.
44% of Nigerians are below 15 years and they have a lot of potentials
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4. Science & Technology in Nigeria
The Federal ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) was established with the mandate to "Encourage, support and co-ordinate scientific and industrial research of all kinds."
The FMST has a number of parastatals and research institutes with the task of carrying out this mandate.
Before this administration, very little priority was accorded the FMST and this limited the effectiveness of the units under the FMST
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5. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
Changing Role of FMST
The following policies have been developed and approved:
Information Technology
Biotechnology
Space Science and Technology
A very tangible dividend of democracy in the Science & Technology sector is the necessary national priority accorded the sector
FMST also has an improved status and image
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has since constituted an Honorary Presidential Council on science and technology
The Council consists of distinguished international scientists who meet twice a year in Nigeria to advise Mr. President
The Federal Executive Council has declared Biotechnology and ICT as national priorities. FMST has agencies for these two sectors
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6. Changing Role of FMST contd.
This is the first time that FMST will be treated as a priority ministry in the budget
Plans are underway to build an Abuja Technology Park
A holistic National Science & Technology policy, incorporating all related policies, is in the offing
A national science and technology bill is on its way to the National Assembly
A science village- Sheda Science And Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Abuja- is now in existence and operational
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7. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
ICT in Nigeria
Nigeria has often been referred to as the Sleeping Giant of Africa; we indeed slept even on the world’s ICT stage. For instance we only started impacting on the African Internet picture in mid ’98
The Federal Government is aware that Nigeria is lagging behind in the ICT race. This has led to the government declaring ICT as a national priority in 2001.
Although we are starting late, we are determined to develop our ICT infrastructure with a universal access capability in the shortest time. We shall connect our colleges, cities, schools, universities, research institutions and the entire public sector to the Internet.
President Olusegun Obasanjo (NICI 2000)
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8. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
ICT in Nigeria contd.
A number of positive steps have been taken in the ICT sector since the inception of a democratic government in 1999
These include:
The issuance of GSM licences to 3 operators. This has helped double the national teledensity figures in 1 year.
The licencing of a Second National Operator
The licensing of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) operators to cover all areas of the country, including areas that traditionally do not have access to ICT facilities
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9. Need for an Information Technology Policy
The Federal government has recognized the importance of IT as a major key to economic growth and sustainability.
That culminated in a Workshop on the IT Policy in Abuja in March, 2000.
The workshop brought together major IT stakeholders like
COAN, IT Association (Industries) of Nigeria, CPN, all major stake holders in the Public and the Private sector.
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10. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
The National IT Policy
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the National IT Policy in March, The mission of the policy is to use IT for Education, Creation of Wealth, Poverty Eradication, Job Creation and Global Competitiveness
The Vision of the Policy is to:
Make Nigeria an IT capable country in Africa and a key player in the Information Society by the year 2005, using IT as the engine for sustainable development and global competitiveness.
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11. The National IT Policy contd.
NITDA was established to:
Implement the IT policy
Coordinate the development of IT in Nigeria
Regulate the IT Sector
NITDA has swung into action to implement the policy:
Several Awareness Programmes in collaboration with the public and private sector
All arms of government (Executive, Legislative and Judicial) are being carried along. The President of the Senate commissioned the facilities at NITDA earlier in the year
Strategic partnerships with the organized private sector, multinationals, NGOs and the civil society
Providing ‘indigenous’ access with projects like the Nigerian-keyboard
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12. Sectoral Applications of the IT Policy
Human Resource Development
Infrastructure
Governance
Research and Development
Health
Agriculture
Urban and Rural Development
Trade and Commerce
Arts, Culture and Tourism
National Security and Law Enforcement
Fiscal Measures
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13. The National IT Policy- Implementation Strategy
Human
Resource Capacity
Building
Institutional
Capacity
Building
Infrastructure
Capacity
Building
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14. Human Resource Capacity Building
Training indigenous ICT experts is also a focus of the IT Policy. The plan is to train 500,000 indigenous experts in 3 years.
Knowledge is potential power and education is the bedrock of any economy. It is important to impart the knowledge of ICTs to our youth from school
Nigeria has a large labour force that is yet to be harnessed. A problem of proximity to training centres exists, especially for the many in rural areas.
NITDA has been encouraging ICT Skill development among public servants
Provision of distance learning facilities and resources will help. Projects like the Open University and Virtual Library will certainly assist us in meeting the training target
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15. Infrastructure Capacity Building
There is a need to build the necessary infrastructure to stimulate growth in the ICT sector. NITDA has embarked on a number of infrastructure-building projects:
National Information Infrastructure Backbone (NIIB).
NITDA/State Governments Partnership for VSAT Internet Installations and Broadband Wireless Facilities
Rural Internet Resource Centres (RIRC)
Mobile Internet Units (MIU)
IT Government facilities are now on the increase in all tiers of government
Public Service Information Network
Presidential Network
National Assembly computerisation/IT project
A number of indigenous companies now manufacture computer hardware and develop computer programs
The organised private sector is investing a lot in ICT. The financial institutions have made the most significant investment in the sector
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16. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
The Nature of the National Information Infrastructure Backbone (NIIB)
A nation wide network combining VSATs and microwave links will connect all the states
The Public Service Information Network (PSIN) utilizes the NIIB
NIIB will also extend to the Local Government Areas
Optical fibre will be used to connect to the Internet backbone eventually
SIIB
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17. Institutional Capacity Building
Apart from the National IT Policy, individual states now have their State IT policies
The FEC has sent the IT Bill to the National Assembly to give a legal backing to NITDA
Other legislations are in progress e.g the e-commerce bill, cyber crimes bill, telemedicine etc.
Several seminars have been held for decision makers in the public and private sector with a view to making them give ICT the necessary priority in their establishments
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18. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
e-government Project
E-government has become very necessary in Nigeria for a number of reasons:
The population density in the urban areas is very high because people migrate for essentials like access to quality education and proximity to government services
There are risks in traveling long distances to get access to government services
There is increased efficiency and improved quality of life for the citizens when governance is taken to the people, regardless of their location- citizen centred governance
On its part, government is creating the enabling environment for the successful implementation of the project.
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19. Areas of Possible Collaboration
E-government- development of an e-government gateway/portal
Open University
Virtual Library
Virtual Laboratory
Baseline Studies
Strategic Implementation Plan for IT in socio-economic development plan of Nigeria
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20. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
Conclusion
Nigeria has the potential for a viable ICT and Science & Tech sector. With the continued provision of an enabling environment and support from our international friends like UNESCO, the sector can experience rapid growth and stimulate various sectors of the economy
Thank you and God bless
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21. gajayi@nitda.gov.ng, gajayi@yahoo.com
Contact Address
Prof. G.O. Ajayi
Director-General
National Information Technology
Development Agency (NITDA)
Plot 695 Port-Harcourt Crescent
Area 11 Garki
Abuja-Nigeria
Tel: ,
Fax:
Website:
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