300, 000 new jobs to be created through digital economy – Pantami

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami, has said that over 300, 000 new jobs would be created through digital integration of the country.

The NITDA boss who spoke on the sideline of the official presentation of the draft Nigeria Smart Initiative Policy Framework (NSIPF) in Abuja recently said much more benefit will accrue to the country when it’s teeming youth take up the new challenge of a digital economy.

He charged Nigerians to learn ICT so that they can take up the new jobs that would be created.

“Old people are usually conservative, they hardly change but youth are always willing to accept positive changes, they are very disruptive, youth are naturally digital, with this we don’t have problem…

“Our digital literacy in Nigeria today is encouraging. In the real sense when we are talking about digitalisation, some jobs could be loss but much more higher than what has been lost can be gained. For example, the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation recently signed and issued, if that is followed, it would provide a minimum of 300, 000 jobs in Nigeria and if as a result of that some jobs are lost, I don’t think it would be up to 10, 000 but it would provide over 300, 000 jobs.

So, that is why when we are talking about digital economy, it is only compelling people to make sure that they learn ICT so that they can take up the new jobs that would be created. 

“Today if we take away ICT from our hospitals, the hospitals cannot be operated- most of our machines, scan, MRI are digitally oriented; you cannot work without ICT. In security it’s the same, so what we are saying is if you feel that there could be some challenges definitely it’s not going to be up to five per cent of what is going to be created. So because of this, we are going higher or switching from manual or traditional approach to  digital one and that is integration, that is moving to the next level,” he said.

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