The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami yesterday, in a virtual ceremony, declared open the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria International Conference on Computing and Advances in Information Technology (ICCAIT) 2021.
The Minister also served as the Special Guest of Honour, Guest Speaker and Lead Presenter.
Pantami spoke on “ICT as an Enabler for the Digital Economy: The Nigerian Story”.
In his presentation, the Minister informed the gathering of the numerous initiatives and unprecedented successes recorded in the Digital Economy Sector under his stewardship, such as disbursement of research grant in the area of emerging technology; enhanced broadband penetration; ICT emerging as the fastest growing sector of the economy, resolving the high cost of Right of Way (RoW) levy; development and implementation of 16 National Policies, among others.
The Minister quoted his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari as stating that ICT played a critical role in pulling Nigeria out of recession.
Pantami reiterated that ICT is a critical driver of long-term economic development, citing a study by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) which estimates that global GDP may increase by up to 14% (the equivalent of US$15.7 trillion) by 2030 as a result of the accelerating development and take-up of AI.
He commended the Management of Ahmadu Bello University for its consistency in organizing ICT Conferences over the years.
