Experts say sustaining Nigeria’s economy requires harnessing technology solutions

FOREIGN INVEST MENT NETWORK (FIN) has said that technological initiatives have supported and enhanced activities in the various sectors of the economy, thereby making the effective deployment and utilization of technologydriven innovations crucial towards mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sustainable development of the nation’s economic climate.

The organisation gathered experts and stakeholders from various fields of the economy to discuss and explore buoyant opportunities that can help boost the country’s steadily growing Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a virtual webinar conference, themed: “Deploying Technology to Mitigate the Impact of the Pandemic.”

Isa Ibrahim Pantami, minister of communication and digital economy, stated during the conference, that the Federal Government of Nigeria has remained dedicated to implementing technologydriven initiatives that would enable a national digital economy.

Pantami noted, “Before the COVID-19 outbreak, I proposed a national digital economy strategy which was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“As a result of technologydriven solutions and products virtual meetings and communications participation have been effectively executed; thus, even after the pandemic, it would be retained on a higher percentage.

“Also, as part of efforts to promote economical digitization, we have put in place measures to ensure the protection and safety of biodatas,.’”

Akinwale Goodluck, head, sub-Saharan Africa, GSMA, maintained that harnessing the economic potentials would depend on how the stakeholders take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic and reinvigorate thinking.

Goodluck said, “There is the need to use technology to boost the economic activities of the nation by implementing schemes which increase the awareness of the benefits of digital literacy, mobile money, mobile and smartphones, data and Cryptocurrency,” he said.