AFICTF seeks state of emergency in ICT

African leaders have been urged to declare a state of emergency in the information communication technology (ICT) sector to accelerate digital development across the continent.

Tony Ojobo, chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) and president, African ICT Foundation (AFICTF), who stated this, also said Africa needed a declaration of emergency in ICT development and innovation.

He spoke in Lagos during his inaugural speech of the foundation founded in 2009 to address Africa’s digital inclusion challenges.

Ojobo, a former director of Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), also unveiled a two-year digital inclusion development plan for the continent, targeting policy and infrastructure issues on Internet of Things (IoTs), Artificial Intelligence and Big Data.

According to him, in the next two years, the foundation will be involved in research and education by setting policy agenda on technological innovations, ICT, trade and globalisation and clean energy.

He said the Foundation will get Africa’s private sector support on critical industry issues that affect the growth of Africa’s economy while working with policymakers to develop and promote policies and ideas, capitalising on the tremendous economic and social benefits ICT provides for Africans.