FG Inaugurates Technical Working Committee to Drive NDS Implementation

Federal Government through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has inaugurated the Technical Working Committee (TWC) on the implementation of the National Data Strategy (NDS), as part of measures its putting in place toward strengthening the nation’s Digital Economy.

DG NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, presenting a keynote address at the TWC inauguration event

Dr William Alo, permanent secretary of the Ministry, who formally inaugurated the Committee noted that the National Data Strategy which was developed by the National Data Technical Working Group, comprising experts from various sectors of the economy to address the critical role of data utilisation in Nigeria also aims to harness the power of data to drive innovation, economic growth, and social development throughout the country.

While inaugurating the Committee, Dr Alo stressed that “The government recognises the significance of data access, ethical and responsible data usage, data privacy, data protection and data governance in ensuring the well-being and privacy of citizens while promoting innovation.

“We must collaborate across sectors, engage stakeholders and ensure that every voice is heard to harness the full potential of data.”

According to the Perm Sec, “the NDS roadmap will guide Nigeria in leveraging data to identify new opportunities, optimise existing processes and make informed decisions that accelerate economic growth.

He expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering commitment to the “Renewed Hope” agenda and his vision for a data-driven Nigeria.

Dr. Alo commended Participants for their dedication and expertise which he described as the eventual driving force behind the successful implementation of the Nigeria Data Strategy.

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), while presenting a keynote address said the strategy, which was launched this year, aims to harness the power of data to stimulate economic growth, innovation, and inclusivity in the country.

Inuwa while emphasising the strategic importance of data in driving the digital economy, made reference to some figures from the World Economic Forum and Statistics, where he highlighted the substantial value of the data driven economy as currently estimated to be over $3 trillion and projected to reach $5 trillion in the future.

“The digital economy is worth more than $16 trillion, and digitally transformed enterprises contributed $13.5 trillion to the global GDP in 2018. This year, it is projected to contribute a staggering $53.5 trillion, accounting for over 50% of the global GDP,” Inuwa said.

He maintained that the National Data Strategy revolves around seven key pillars that are crucial to Nigeria’s successful transition to a digital economy, which he enumerated to include Data Literacy and Skills, Data Security and Privacy, Data Sovereignty, Data Infrastructure, Data Harmonisation, Data Usability, Inclusivity and Accessibility.

Inuwa who further emphasised that data is the currency of the digital economy, urged the Technical Working Group to provide productive recommendations that will help regulatory agencies to effectively implement the strategy.

The event also featured presentation on the expectations and deliverables of the workshop, TWC Terms of Reference, Breakout and Plenary Sessions.