ICT innovation exhibition will promote indigenous content devt – NCC

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, made this known in his address at a three-day annual ICT Innovation Exhibition and Competition.

The theme of the exhibition and competition was: “Promoting  Sustainable Digital Service Development in Nigeria’’.

Danbatta noted that this year edition would also promote digital skills innovation in the country.

He said that by this, ICT innovations would be promoted to improve the nation’s ability to compete in global economy; increase investment in youth and promotion of Tech Hubs and Startups for new business delivery breakthroughs.

The NCC boss said that the programme would also enhance digital economy in line with the commission’s Strategic Vision Implementation Plan (SVIP 2021-2025).

“Today’s event brings together competitors from Innovation Driven Enterprises (IDEs), Technology Hubs and Digital Startups with innovative products and services to showcase their talents and innovations in ICT to the global community.

“Other objectives of this forum include: providing networking platform for innovators and tech enthusiasts that encourages relationship building, business connections and creation of opportunities.

“Fostering business innovation and entrepreneurship; encouraging increased investment and indigenous innovative services; stimulating the commercialisation of indigenous innovative solutions; and responding to national challenges, using ICT.

“Through this exhibition, the commission will assist contestants build rewarding and sustainable business partnerships.’’

“Find best business innovations that have the potential to succeed in the commercial environment; and provide opportunity for them to present their plans to a group of local and global venture capitalists,’’ he said.

According to him, the event is designed to push further the commission’s agenda toward positioning ICT for sustainable economic development and social advancement as well as achieving the Digital Nigeria Agenda of the Federal Government.

He said that the commission had successfully mainstreamed ICT to revolutionise the innovation ecosystem in the country through its innovation-focused and friendly policies and programmes.

Danbatta said that the annual ICT Innovation Competition/Exhibition was one of the commission’s initiatives aimed at fostering increased national innovativeness, sustainable Digital Startups development and growth in the ICT sector.

According to him, this competition underpins pillars 5 and 8 of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030 which focuses on Digital Service Development and Promotion and Indigenous Content Development and Adoption respectively.

He said that it would equally give effect to Pillars 4 and 5 of the NCC Strategic Vision Implementation Plan (SVIP) 2021-2025, which were focused on promoting fair competition, inclusive growth, increased investment and innovative services.

According to him, while also encouraging strategic cooperation and partnerships among key players in the Nigerian tech ecosystem.

The Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, Ubale Maska, said that digital economy had become a word embraced by many countries due to the increasing relevance of ICTs in human endeavors.

Maska said that significantly, digital economy comprised of goods and services that either were produced using digital technologies or include these technologies.

He said that the ICT industry stood at the centre of these activities underpinning the digital economy, serving as enablers of efficiency and productivity to other vertical industries while standing as a reliable yardstick of economies’ performance.

According to him, developing home-grown innovative products and services in ICT would provide abundant benefits for sustainable development of the sector with huge multiplier effect on job and wealth creation across industries.

He said that there would be improvement of balance of trade, stimulation of investment opportunities and increased domestic revenue.

Maska said that 44 valid proposals were received from 42 contestants, each with a unique digital product/ service for meeting industry and societal needs.

He however, said that at the end of the two stage assessments by the judges, the top three Startups that emerged winners would be rewarded with cash prizes ranging from N2.5 million for the overall winner; N1.5 million for the first runner-upl and N1.0 million for the second runner-up respectively.

Prof. Olalekan Busra, a Professor of Entrepreneurship and E-Business, Federal University of Technology, Minna, in his presentation titled: “National Strategy for Promotion of Indigenous Content in Telecoms Sector’’, said that there was need for technology transfer and technology confidence.

Busra said that as the country was benefiting from foreigners’ technology, they should  be able to benefit  from our country as well.

He said that in transfer of technology, a countryshould be able to manufacture technology and also adding local content dimension such as inculcating local language into software would benefit the country.

The don, however, highlighted focus areas on the need to still liaise with foreigners on technology because  it could be cheaper.

NAN reports that 20 Startups were shortlisted for the exhibition, of which 10 would move to the next stage after making their presentation.