ICT: NITDA releases 5 new guidelines


Targeting the wholesome development of the Nigeria Information Communications Technology (ICT) industry, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has released five new regulatory instruments to ensure an efficient world class ICT sector in the country.

The new guidelines are: Guideline for IT Clearance; Guidelines for Public Internet Access; Framework for Use of Social Media in Public Institutions; The Rule Making Process Regulation of NITDA and The Nigerian Data Protection Regulation.

Unveiling the new guidelines on Friday in Abuja, the director-general of NITDA, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, said the new guidelines will further empower the agency to regulate the use of IT and operations of social media in public places.

According to the DG, the step is in line with government new focus on regulation and guidelines in 2019 with a view to ensure greater development of the country’s IT sector. 

He said the guideline is capable of increasing the development of Nigeria local IT industry thereby improving the growth of the industry.

He warned that the guidelines are not mere paperwork but frameworks that will be interpreted to the letter; urging the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s) and other government establishments to adhere strictly or risk been sanctioned.

He said that: ‘‘our standards, frameworks and guidelines are regulatory policies and are not issued for the sake of being relevant. The IT sector cannot be effectively developed without relevant rules and regulations creating certain level of uniformity, consistency and careful investments in the right type of technology systems needed in a country such as ours.

‘‘We are also encouraging innovation as we shall soon issue directives to encourage MDAs to use emerging technologies like cloud computing, blockchain and various other platforms for big data analytics. 

Pantami said that the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation was in accordance with Section 6 of NITDA Act 2007.

He said there had been circulars on guidelines for clearance of Information Technology projects but the enforcement was the challenge. 

“This guideline is for public institutions which include MDAs, federal institutions and federal government owned companies and it is to guide federal institutions in procuring IT goods and services.

“It will ensure that government money is not mismanaged in the execution of IT projects, harmonization in the execution of projects and also ensure that institutions carrying out IT projects have the capacity,” he said.

According to the agency it has taken its regulatory responsibility seriously and will in 2019 ensure that violators of NITDA’s regulatory instruments are appropriately sanctioned in line with the NITDA Act.

The new guidelines came into effect following the signing on Friday

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