By Adelaja Emmanuel Boluwatife
According to dr. bosun tijani, minister of communications and digital economy, the country’s digital economy is capable of revolutionizing the country’s economy, which is projected to reach n18.3 billion by 2026. Tijani declared this on tuesday at a media conference in abuja on the national digital economy and e-governance bill. Nigeria has unicorn companies such as flutterwave, jumia, andela, and interswitch, according to him, that have demonstrated that the digital economy is strong and that it can take the country to where it should be. “those of you who follow the evolution and trajectory of nigeria’s economy should probably know that the ict sector accounts for about 13 to 18% of gdp. The sector contributed to about 16.6% of gdp in q4 2023. “in 2019, the digital economy generated n5.49 billion in revenue,” the report states. By 2026, this industry is projected to reach n18.3 billion,” the minister said. The bill tijani said that if it were signed into law, it would provide a legal framework and accelerate progress on the digital economy agenda. “this bill will accelerate the growth of our digital economy because there is no specific legislation in that area. We believe that the bill would contribute to the development and development of nigeria’s economy by incorporating and using this technology in all aspects of life. Tijani said, “it will provide a conducive environment for fair competition and foster creativity, development, and competitiveness for the nigerian economy.” According to him, the bill will be adopted in all the country’s six geopolitical zones after being signed into law. Malam kashifu inuwa, the director-general of the national information technology development agency (nitda), said the bill would broaden the use of the digital economy in the country, both in the government and in the private sector. Inuwa, who was accompanied by mr emmanuel edet, the director of standards, guidelines and frameworks department, urged nigerians to embrace digital technology as a facilitator. The ecosystem was expanding, according to the d-g, and it was crucial to exploit its ability to drive economic desires with the country’s young population and digital skills. The bill was divided into 16 sections with over 60 sections, and it would address the validity of electronic, digital transactions, digital contracts, signatures, and time stamps, according to him.What you should know about the ministry of communications, innovation, and digital economy the content of the updated bill would be made available by july 23, 2024, according to the ministry. It also stated that stakeholder consultations in nigeria would be held to gather feedback and understand the bill’s relevance to all stakeholders, including public service, regulators, innovators, and service providers. To ensure national participation and input, the ministry said it would partner with tech hubs, the nigerian computer society, and other organizations. It also stated that technical workshops would be held to finalize the bill’s form and examine and incorporate expert opinion on its content.