The federal government said it is targeting 95 percent digital literacy by 2030, hence, the various efforts toward supporting Information and Communications Technology startups across the country.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, while speaking at the launch of Rated-Artisan Services Limited; a wholly-owned Nigerian software solutions provider, also charged Nigerians to sharpen their skills with relevant knowledge and be digitally creative in order to meet the target.
“While the federal government has set target of achieving 95% digital literacy by 2030, Nigerians should sharpen their skills with relevant knowledge and be digitally creative in proffering indigenous solutions to the country’s challenges to improve their livelihoods and contribute their quota to Nigeria’s Digital Economy,” the Minister, who was represented by Head, Corporate Liaison and Advocacy Unit, National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Babangida Abdullahi Gilo said.
He applauded the efforts of Rated-Artisan Services Limited for their products, which offer an ecosystem that brings ultimate convenience in service delivery with the proprietary intelligent enterprise as well as e-Commerce applications.
“Numerous activities being carried out in this company are no doubt gaining traction, and this contributes in shaping our thinking towards not only maximizing our socio-economic opportunities as a people but also creating a platform for advancing the tech-driven entrepreneurship towards national development.”
Meanwhile, the Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa has reaffirmed that the NITDA remains committed to supporting the development of the indigenous solutions that will address the Nation’s prevailing challenges.
“It is often said that it is where there are challenges that you have opportunities, and it is where there are opportunities that wealth is created. Today we are here to celebrate Rated Artisan for identifying a challenge and exploring the opportunities presented by the challenge to create wealth for Nigerians,” Mal. Inuwa who was also represented at the event by the Acting Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation, Yakubu Musa said.
He expressed belief that it will create an enabling environment for growth, attraction, and protection of investments in startups.
“There is a need to have specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound and objectives and an implementation structure that will ensure the successful implementation of these programs and initiatives.”
Earlier, the Managing Director, Rated Artisan Services Limited, Dr. Inya-Agha Gabriel, while presenting the Al-Driven Mobile Applications, said the innovative solutions including RatedArtisan, RatedAcademy-, Banga and Ecoforce are structured for businesses to meet the growing demands in today’s digitally advanced business environment.
Other speakers who added their voices in appreciating the creative work commended the Federal Government for the trajectory of the Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
They further expressed confidence in NITDA’s capability to effectively execute its role through regulatory standards, guidelines, and policies which they said would be pivotal in digitally moving the country forward.