Abuja: President Bola Tinubu on Monday reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to prioritising the development of the digital economy as a means to enhance youth empowerment and job creation. The President made this pledge while receiving a report titled ‘Digital Economy, Youth Empowerment and Sustainable Job Creation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities,’ which was presented by participants of the Senior Executive Course 46 from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the course participants made an eight-point recommendation urging the Federal Government to expedite the enactment of the Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill 2024. They also encouraged states to waive the Right of Way fees on the deployment of telecom infrastructure. Additionally, the participants recommended that the President issue an Executive Order mandating all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to migrate to the OneGov.ng portal. They advocated for adopting a Quintuple-Helix Model to promote the digital economy, youth empowerment, and sustainable job creation.
Other recommendations included promoting long-term funding for the 3MTT scheme, accelerating the transition from IPv4 to IPv6, establishing Digital Health Innovation Hubs across Nigeria, and developing a preventive maintenance application for the nation’s automotive industry. In response, President Tinubu directed the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to coordinate with the group and present their recommendations to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Head of the Civil Service for streamlined implementation.
President Tinubu emphasised the importance of youth empowerment through innovation and digital skills development, stating, “At the core of our administration is youth empowerment. We cannot relent on that, and we need everyone’s collaboration.” He expressed appreciation for the Institute’s work and assured continued collaboration for national prosperity.
Highlighting the importance of data in national planning, President Tinubu mentioned his earlier meeting with officials from the National Population Commission to discuss the upcoming census. Prof. Ayo Omotayo, Director-General of NIPSS, noted that during the year-long engagement, course participants undertook study tours across Nigeria and abroad, exploring the theme of their study.
Mr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, announced that the Digital Economy Bill, currently before the National Assembly, would undergo public hearings in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory before its passage in the second quarter of 2025. He highlighted that this is the first time legislation will be subjected to such an extensive review.
Regarding Right of Way fees, the minister mentioned that 11 states had responded to the Federal Government’s request to waive the charges, facilitating broadband infrastructure expansion. He expressed optimism that all states would comply with this initiative before the end of the second year of the Tinubu administration.
On Nigeria’s progress in internet protocol transition, Tijani stated that the country was on track to become one of the first in Africa to migrate fully from IPv4 to IPv6. He added that in 2024, the Federal Government approved a two billion-dollar investment into 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables to ensure nationwide broadband coverage, which would result in the third-longest fibre network in Africa.
Mr. Wale Edun, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, noted the ICT sector’s contribution of 16 per cent to Nigeria’s gross domestic product in 2024. He emphasised the government’s commitment to prioritising the sector as crucial for economic stability and job creation.