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STRIDES AND CHALLENGES OF ICT IN NIGERIA(Daily Trust (Nigeria) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The speed with which Information Communication Technology (ICT) is developing and its impact on socioeconomic activities cannot be overemphasized. ICT, according to UNDP, has been defined to include the full range of electronic technologies and techniques used to manage information and knowledge. It is imperative that Nigeria is not excluded from the technological revolution. It is a stark fact that the use of ICT has been integrated into virtually every facet of commerce, education, governance and civic activity in developed countries and has become a critical factor in creating wealth worldwide. Unfortunately in Nigeria, ICT has barely taken a foothold. Computer illiteracy and lack of access to ICT are widely recognised as an increasingly powerful obstacle to the economic, civic and political development of Africa. According to the UN ICT Task Force, nowhere is the digital divide more pronounced than in countries of the African continent. Africa is the most unconnected in an increasing connected world. This is where Nigeria as a country finds itself. However, development of ICT has been argued to provide leapfrogging opportunities for developing countries such as Nigeria. According to the Data Development Group of the World Bank, ICT infrastructure in Nigeria is progressing as compared to other lowincome countries globally and above the 1.1% average for the Sub Saharan Africa. The government of Nigeria both past and present and other agencies have over the years made several strides to develop the ICT infrastructure so as to bridge the digital divide between Nigeria and the developed world. Prominently featuring among these initiatives is the development of a national fibre optic network. The aim is to concentrate on promoting rapid ICT physical infrastructure development, modernize agriculture and facilitate development of the private sector. Notwithstanding these, various investments in ICT infrastructure by existing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Telecommunication companies such as Globacom, MTN and Airtel are helping to improve their service delivery and consequently cover the whole country. Though Nigeria is not yet there as far as ICT infrastructure is concerned, it has been able to chalk some successes in attracting some foreign investors to the country. However, despite these massive investments in ICT infrastructure and ICT capacity building, Nigeria still to a large extent is digitally isolated from the Global Village because it lacks the critical drive and strategies to harness the full potential of ICT for the socioeconomic development of the country. These have been some of the challenges facing the full ICT deployment in the country. Another major identifiable challenge facing the development of the full potential of ICT for education, research and development in the country has been the brain drain syndrome. The effects of the brain drain can be argued to have contributed not only to lack of medical and other critical professionals in the country but also ICT gurus. This has resulted in the lack of the critical mass of ICT engineers and scientists relevant for undertaking ICT related projects professionally. It has also been found out that the most talented people in the area of Science and Technology, if they have not left Ghana for more attractive environments often pursue private agendas, shunning the civic space. However, the solution towards bridging the divide will require a mix of the following strategies. One key solution is to create the necessary awareness in all the organs of government namely the executive, legislature, judiciary and the Press. For us to pull everybody along on the ICT development continuum, it demands the full awareness of our ICT development agenda. All the organs should be made to know the benefits of ICT and how the new ICT policy document can impact the development of the country. The executive should be prepared to sacrifice and prioritise this sector among others on our development agenda and to implement the agenda to the core; the legislature should fully understand the concepts and all the implications of ICT and be prepared to sell this agenda vis a vis their political manifestos; the judiciary should be prepared to react swiftly to legalities concerning ICT and the Press should be up and doing in the selling of ICT opportunities and creating the necessary awareness among the citizenry. Much is actually expected from the executive to lead this crusade and to drag all citizens both local (young and old, politicians of the other divide, etc) and foreign towards this development. The zeal with which the current president has been identified in dealing with ICT issues should be manifested in all the executives and other stakeholders who matter. Based on the recent comparative studies on dynamic industrial clusters in developed and developing countries, it is paramount to create an open, supportive and economic environment or habitat including a good investment climate, economy and social infrastructure to support entrepreneurship, a culture to encourage innovation and allow failure. In addition to national policies that allow free and open entrepreneurship and national egovernment services, regional and community level leadership is necessary to encourage innovative application of ICT to public services, health, education and all aspects of community life. This then requires the efforts of all the citizenry in the maintenance of rule of law. Jeremiah is the Marketing Executive at Techno Brain WestBlue. |