The United Nations on Monday charged the Federal Government to invest in technology, as the global agency also pledge to support Nigeria in this.
Deputy Secretary-General, UN, Amina Muhammed, gave the charge while speaking during a courtesy call on the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, in Abuja.
She said, “Technology is the lifeline of all other sectors from education to medical and financial services, and a lot of what the economy will see in the coming years will be determined by what we do now in terms of investments.”
Mohammed, a former Minister of Environment in Nigeria, commended Pantami for the achievements so far made in the country’s ICT sector.
She said the National Digital Economy Policy of the Federal Government was important within the framework of the 2030 agenda on the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
She said, “The United Nations really supports this sector and its leadership to make sure that you are a big part of the success of Nigeria’s growth and development.
“Technology is what will bring efficiency and connectivity in all aspects of life and especially in the green transitions.”
On his part, Pantami said the Federal Government was diversifying the economy through various policies and was making the ICT sector a priority as the benefits were already manifesting.
He said the most recent figures published by the National Bureau of Statistics put the ICT sector ahead of others with a 14.7 per cent growth in the fourth quarter of 2020.
“This also indicates a 13 per cent growth within the year under review,” the minister stated, as he appreciated the UN for its support through partnerships with organisations under the global agency.
Source: Punch
