Shittu seeks Huawei’s partnership to develop local ICT firms

Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications, has called for private sector collaboration with the Government to boost the nation’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) which he said currently provides more employments than oil and gas sector.

The Minister who stated this at the official unveiling of the Huawei’s Innovation and Experience Centre and joint Huawei/UNILAG Open lab in Lagos implored the firm to share its expertise with local ICT firms to further boost capacity in the industry.

According to him, industry analysts suggest that the ICT tools and devices, software solutions, IT outsourcing and the e-commerce sector alone could employ over 40million Nigerians and contribute billions of dollars to the economy if well channelled and nurtured.

The Minister said to unlock potentials in the ICT, the Nigerian government and Huawei have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the sector’s ecosystem.

He said there is also another MoU with Huawei capable of creating over 2000 ICT training jobs to young Nigerians.

Shittu states that, “There is no don’t that you have become a strategic partner to The Nigerian government in ICT planning and development, I believe that you will continue to expand your contributions and training programs in Nigeria.