…Starts With Stakeholder Engagement
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in its efforts to ensure that Nigeria benefits maximally from the global digital economy, draws the attention of Information Technology sector stakeholders and the general public on its commencement of the process of repealing and re-enacting the NITDA Act, 2007.
According to a statement issues by NITDA, the need to repeal the existing Act became necessary with the launch of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), which effectively replaced the Nigerian National IT Policy, 2000.
“You may recall that the vision of the National IT Policy was to make Nigeria an IT capable country by 2005. We can all attest that Nigeria has gone beyond the vision of using IT but aiming to become the digital economy capital of Africa.
Furthermore, since the enactment of the NITDA Act 2007, NITDA has operated as the catalytic Government Agency for developing and regulating the Information Technology sector.”
The Agency further noted that in light of recent advancements in Information Technology and the shift in the global economy paradigm, the NDEPS was envisioned to “transform Nigeria into a leading digital economy, providing quality life and digital economies for all”.
“This current reality has necessitated the re-imagination for the establishment of NITDA. It is a known fact that digital technologies have created new forms of economic activities that have been beneficial to the global economy. “
Noting that digital technologies comes with their promises and perils such as cybercrimes, privacy invasion and other social problems, NITDA pointed out that these mixed impacts necessitates the need to proactively manage adoption through the development of a stakeholder-led robust regulatory architecture to enable Nigeria to maximise the benefits of such technologies and mitigate the negative consequences.
“Therefore, the need for a more agile and practical approach to regulations, standards-setting, and guidelines development for the country, with a focus on digital and emerging technologies, cannot be overemphasised.
Based on the foregoing, we identified the need to update NITDA’s legal framework for regulating and developing a digital economy for Nigeria. The Agency’s current establishment law is outdated. It cannot meet the needs and requirements for supporting a digital economy as well as effectively protect the rights and interests of stakeholders in the digital world.”
According NITDA, the proposed NITDA Bill, which for its importance, will be presented to the National Assembly as an Executive Bill, aims to create a regulatory framework to accelerate Nigeria into the digital economy and substantially catalyse prosperity. This will include promoting and implementing policies that support indigenous content, access to digital services, investments in the sector, adoption of emerging technologies, innovation, research and development, with a particular focus on the rights of citizens and national interest.
Speaking on the process, NITDA noted that after engagement with IT stakeholders in line with the Rulemaking Process of the Agency, it will send the updated draft Bill to its supervisory Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, from where the Bill will be presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and upon approval, the President will transmit the Bill to the National Assembly for the enactment process, which will include public hearings and more stakeholder engagements. Upon passage by the National Assembly, the Bill will be transmitted to the President for assent.
NITDA assures Information Technology sector stakeholders, as well as the general public, that the process will be transparent and subjected to comprehensive stakeholder engagements. “We therefore count on the support of Nigerians towards the successful passage of the Bill and eventual signing into law. This will undoubtedly help towards ensuring that Nigeria harnesses the potentials of the ever-expanding digital economy,” it concluded.
