News
NITEC, Digitization & ‘Servants of The People’
Shortly after he assumed office as the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adeabyo Shittu, shared the deep sense of urgency the Federal Government feels for implementation e-Government Master Plan by 2020, which is a key blueprint for improving the delivery of public sector services using technology.
The e-Government Master Plan developed by the Federal Ministry of Communications is such a compendium of an essential blueprint of modalities and protocols for the adoption of e-Government best practices, across the Federal Civil Service.
Under the plan, all Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are embracing the e-Government Plan, the Minister said.
“I must, most earnestly, share with you the deep sense of urgency that I, and the entire Ministry of Communications, feel as per the importance of the e-Government Master Plan 2020”, Shittu told attendees at the Stakeholders Engagement Workshop on e-Government Master Plan 2020.
Yes, such transformation drive will engender an information-rich government while invoking new contractor agreement between the Government and the citizens on clear principles for further digitization of government, in particular for Services provided to citizens and businesses.
The immediate gains we expect are such as compulsory adoption of e-invoicing for government departments, e-procurement, and social rights and tariffs will be granted automatically. At that point social justice would have returned and government would have curried public flavor too. We are all witnesses how TSA is delivering the country from the shackles of graft, corruption and perpetual embezzlements in the past
Therefore and with the topic as “what the digitalization of government and public sectors means for the eco-system”, NITEC 2016 shares the Minister’s position because the government and its agencies have come under intense scrutiny and are realizing that technology is helping citizens hold them more accountable.
What will be the new economy that will be created as a result of digitalizing only 30% of Nigeria’s public sector?
According to KPMG documentation on the subject, it was pointed out that the digital transformation of government is not only a great challenge but also a great opportunity for taking a great leap forward. The expectation in this era signifies “The government has to provide the same or even better services to citizens and businesses, but with less resources. As a result, the focus has been put on administrative simplification, more efficient procedures, and combating fraud. The ‘Only Once’ principle offers the government the possibility of achieving those objectives’ (KPMG).
The document also described the ‘Servant of the People’ principle as the power of integrity in politics and government.
In Nigeria, we have heard of public office holders referring themselves to ‘Chief Servant’ or what have you, but this is basically who holds’ position, paid or unpaid, in the public sector’. Technology of this nature aids office holders to be more responsive, proactive and interactive; serving the purpose of their ‘calling’, and they must handle this power with integrity.
But how can they do this? Muel Kaptein, Partner at KPMG Advisory NV and professor in business ethics and integrity management at the RSM Erasmus University in Rotterdam, is the author of “The Servant of the People: the power of integrity in politics and government” in which he offers insight and practical assistance for officials in the public sector. The central message is that there is great power in integrity for servants of the people which is primarily guaranteed by transparent nature of technology.
NITEC is such a platform that will aptly provide the needed e-governance latitude with key deliverables of improving public sector delivery of the dividends of good governance to the people of Nigeria through the using of new information and communication technologies (ICTs).
For instance, stakeholders ought to be on same page on how to tackle the complicities in .ng domain registration by States and local government. Or how can one describe the low acceptance of the Nigeria’s internet domain name, .ng largely due to nonchalant of the authorities on policy formation. With the population of Nigeria within the range of 170m, with less than 100,000 domains registration in NiRA’s database.
It was found that digital transformations require changes, to both processes and IT systems that are more challenging to implement in the public sector than in the private sector. Thus, a joint study by McKinsey and Oxford University found that public-sector IT projects requiring business change were six times more likely to experience cost overruns and 20 percent more likely to run over schedule than such projects in the private sector.
Regardless of where a public-sector organization is in its digitization journey, there are impeccable reasons to start, scale, or evaluate its programs. Tentatively, giving in e-governance rings a win for government-wide and agency-deep commitment to specific digital targets; establish government-wide coordination of IT investments; leading to redesign processes with the end user in mind; hire and nurture the right talent; use big data and analytics to improve decision making, and protect critical infrastructure and confidential data.
These will eliminate what Chris Uwaje, the doyen of Software in Nigeria calls, “Match-Box Vision”, following incoherent manner of policy formulation and implementation.
The relevance of discussions slated for NITEC 2016 cannot be overemphasized, especially the nation’s economy is in tatters due to over dependent on oil. Oil can drive, but innovations driven by technology evolve daily.
Holding at Civic Centre, Lagos from 23rd-24th of June, NITEC 2016 remains a formidable to bridge the gap between the private and public sectors and the international technology community in re-engineering the African technological ecosystem for greater impact on the continent’s GDP.
Likewise, through plenary sessions and exhibitions the worth of our technology system will be showcased to thousands of attendees; exhibition booth (2 days); placement of brand logo on event brochure and website; complimentary wifi, place web banners and share branded gifts at booths.
The renowned speakers will spark deepened conversation and help through up new innovations that will help Nigeria and indeed, Africa, on digitization. Be there!
Bismarck Rewane, renowned economist and chief executive officer of the Financial Derivatives Company, has warned that the recent outbreak of the tomato leaf miner, commonly referred to as “Tomato Ebola,” is a disruption to Nigeria’s agriculture value chain.
Bismarck Rewane, CEO, Financial Derivatives Company
Speaking on Channels Television’s Business Morning programme on Thursday, Rewane emphasised that the impact of the outbreak extends far beyond tomatoes, triggering a cost ripple effect across the broader food basket.
“The effect of an increase in the price of tomatoes leads to cost elasticity which means that the price of other substitutes will begin to increase, including the price of carrots, the price of tomato paste, price of tomato puree and other things.
“One for the reddening, two for the effect and the thickening on the sauce you’re making.
“However, because tomato is a perishable commodity, it also means that if there is tomato ebola, then the price has increased, and also the supply has reduced, it has a knock-on effect on so many other things,” Rewane explained.
He added that Nigeria’s lack of food storage and preventive mechanisms has worsened the crisis, causing severe supply chain disruptions.
Rewane’s comments come amid a sharp increase in the price of tomatoes, with a 50-kilogramme basket of the commodity which used to sell for N5,000, now selling for N10,000 to N30,000, thereby compounding food inflation and straining household budget.
The Federal Government said Nigeria has so far lost over N1.3 billion to the outbreak of the invasive pest in key tomato-producing states like Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna.
Abubakar Kyari, minister of Agriculture and Food Security, explained that the outbreak has significantly disrupted tomato supply chains, causing a surge in prices.
He noted that the outbreak of tomato Ebola highlights the fragile nature of Nigeria’s horticultural systems, and that the invasive pest can destroy tomato crops within 48 hours, resulting in catastrophic yield losses.
He added that this crisis highlights the urgent need for integrated pest management strategies, investment in resilient crop varieties, and enhanced support for farmers to safeguard the country’s food supply chains.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned the N12.3 billion loan controversy case involving the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, and three others, to June 11, 2025.
Oba Otudeko,
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke postponed the case to allow time for either a peaceful settlement or the formal arraignment of the suspects.
The decision followed reports that negotiation are still ongoing between the parties involved for out-of-court settlement as advised by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who is trying to mediate.
During Thursday’s hearing, Otudeko’s lawyer, Bode Olanipekun (SAN), told the court that negotiations for an out-of-court resolution were still in progress.
Similarly, the lawyer for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bilikisu Buhari, acknowledged the discussions but asked the court to set a new date for arraignment in case the negotiations fail.
It will be recalled that at the last sitting of the court on March 17, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) had informed the judge that a meeting involving all counsel had been convened at the instance of the Attorney General of the Federation.
He said that this was aimed at reaching a peaceful settlement of the case.
Olanipekun had also stated that substantial progress was made, and the AGF directed all parties to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the resolution process, including filing further applications.
The court will reconvene on June 11 to hear the outcome of the settlement talks or proceed with the arraignment if no agreement is reached.
The Zamfara State government has signed an agreement with Oracle to invest in youth development, workforce capacity building and the digital economy under Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative (SDI).
The agreement was signed at Oracle’s Offices in London, United Kingdom, with Governor Dauda Lawal representing the Zamfara State government.
A statement on Wednesday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, explained that the development will foster collaboration between the Zamfara Information and Technology Development Agency (ZITDA) and Oracle.
Secretary to the State Government, two Special Advisers and the Executive Secretary of ZITDA were also present at the event, along with Siobhan Wilson, Oracle UK Country Leader and Senior Vice President, EMEA.
The statement said, “Zamfara State government has signed a strategic agreement with Oracle to drive digital skills development across the state.
“Facilitated through the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, the collaboration will use the expertise and learning services of both Oracle Academy and Oracle University in their digital transformation efforts.
“The collaboration signifies a commitment to education and a strategic investment in the future of Zamfara’s youth, workforce and digital economy.
“Oracle Academy, Oracle’s global philanthropic educational programme offers a robust portfolio of technology education teaching and learning resources, including curriculum and software access, to educators and students worldwide.
“With the support of the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, these resources will be made available to validate higher education institutions across Zamfara.
“ZITDA will help lead efforts to integrate Oracle Academy offerings into Zamfara’s higher education curriculum, equipping educators with the tools and resources they need to guide students in learning hands-on tech skills and toward Oracle’s professional certifications and foster a new generation of tech-savvy leaders.
“In addition, Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative, a global programme that provides access to world-class learning and certification programmes at no cost to eligible learners, will further expand opportunities for learners in Zamfara.
“Through a co-branded Learning Portal in collaboration with ZITDA, Oracle University plans to provide free access to digital learning paths and foundational certifications for eligible participants across Zamfara. This includes curated learning journeys offering over 200 hours of professional-level training in high-demand areas such as Cloud, AI, Data Science and APEX development.”
In his remarks at the ceremony, Governor Dauda Lawal restated that the collaboration with Oracle is part of his administration’s commitment to transforming Zamfara into a hub of innovation, education, and digital excellence.
He said, “on behalf of the government and the good people of Zamfara State, I extend my deepest appreciation to Oracle for believing in our vision and for partnering with us on this transformative journey.
“What we are doing today goes beyond technology, it is about giving hope, creating opportunities and unlocking the future. By investing in digital education and innovation, we are offering real alternatives to poverty, to joblessness and to despair. I sincerely thank Oracle for standing with us, believing in the power of partnership, purpose, and shared dreams.
“Today, we are not just signing a document, we are making a promise, promise that every child in Zamfara will have a fair chance to dream, to learn, and to succeed. A promise that technology will be our bridge to a stronger, more inclusive economy. And, a promise that Zamfara will not merely participate in the digital revolution, we will lead it.”
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