Law to criminalise breach of Executive Orders on local content soon – FG

The Federal Government will enact a holistic law to criminalise breach of the Executive Orders 003 and 005 on local content in Information Technology, the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has said.

Mr Shittu disclosed this, yesterday, at a press conference to commemorate the 2018 World Telecommunications and Information Society Day (WTISD-18) in Abuja.

He said the law would give teeth to the executive orders which were designed to give local software industry and the practitioners chance to improve their skills and products.

He added that it would also allow local products and services to face minimal stifling competition from foreign firms.

The minister said government would include artificial intelligence (AI) and coding in educational agenda.

“Government will extend the focus on science technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) to Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology Engineering and Mathematics (AISTEM).

“With this, our youth would be put to the right path as ICT and AI would have deeply affected the ways we labour and relate with one another in the fourth industrial revolution era’’, he said.

He urged parents to allow their children and wards to take coding classes and buy them educational toys that could contribute to the spirit of invention and creativity.

He further urged the private sector to take the lead in the field of artificial intelligence by sponsoring research activities.