Nigeria executes 500 ICT projects in 5 years

IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, agencies under the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy have executed more than 500 projects across the country.

This disclosure was made recently by Isa Pantami, the minister of the ministry while commissioning yet another set of projects just completed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) and three other agencies.

The other agencies are the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Galaxy Backbone and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).

Pantami stressed that the agencies have continued to implement peopleoriented projects to advance the digital economy agenda of President Muhammad Buhari.

As he noted, their commitment in this direction was, once again, demonstrated during the virtual commissioning of 11 new Information and Communications

Technology (ICT) projects implemented by the agencies under the ministry.

The projects commissioned across the country include the Emergency Communication Centres (ECC’s) in Ilorin, Kwara State and Calabar, Cross River. Other projects commissioned include the e-Health/Data Sharing Centre, Medical College, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; and Virtual Examination Centre, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, all implemented by the NCC.

Two projects executed by the USPF were also commissioned; they include the Tertiary Institution Knowledge Centre (TIKC), Delta State and School Knowledge Centre (SKC) located at Government Day Secondary School, Hassan Central, Gombe State.

NITDA implemented three projects: the Information Technology (IT) and Incubation Park, University of Ayangba, Kogi State, ICT Capacity Building Centres at the College of Education, Gumel, Jigawa State and Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State.

Also commissioned were the new Neighborhood Post Office/NIRSAL Microfinance bank branch, Delta State and the Remodeled National Mail Exchange Centre (Mbiama), Ahoada West Local Government Area of River State executed by NIPOST.

Speaking at the commissioning, Pantami, who noted that over 500 projects have been executed by agencies under the ministry in the past five years, said the projects are connected to the tripartite agenda of the president focusing on enhancing national security, diversification of the economy and curbing corruption.

Pantami stated that the 11 projects are in sync with seven of the eight pillars of the country’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) unveiled by the President last year.

He appreciated the president for being supportive of the Ministry’s initiative towards addressing extant challenges of vandalism of telecom infrastructure, Right of Way (RoW) issues, among others in order to accelerate broadband penetration