Stakeholders urge adoption of ICT to boost productivity

Business community, workers and employers of labour must adopt Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to boost national productivity.

Speaking at the 7th National Productivity Day lecture, ‘Productivity improvement in a developing economy: the ICT approach’ organised by the National Productivity Centre (NPC) in Abuja, the Board Chairman of Nigeria Satellite Communication Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Yusuf Kazaure, said this, arguing that adoption of information and information technology can lead to significant improvements in productivity and growth.

The Director General of the Centre, Dr. Kashim Akor, identified attitude as the greatest impediment to higher productivity. He said COVID-19 has validated the capacity of ICT to change the world.

His words: “Productivity improvement is critical for any nation that is desirous of growth. The basic difference between a developing economy and the developing economy is their level of productivity. There are many ways that productivity can be jump-started in any economy. The Centre believes that within our current situation as a country, Nigeria has no choice but to embrace ICT. We must put in place strategies and policies such that ICT will be the driving force in our productivity improvement.

“One of the most memorable experiences the whole world learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic was how ICT came to the rescue of the world of work. The virtual space bridged the physical gap that was created by COVID-19. Developments in the ICT world will improve with proper training, protection of cyberspace and reliable infrastructure. Such an improvement will rob off massively on the productivity of the working population as well as individuals, businesses and government.”

Kazaure conceded that developing economies, such as Nigeria, face numerous challenges that are hindering growth, citing inadequate infrastructure, limited resources and lack of skilled labour as key challenges.

“In today’s world, information technology has become an integral part of businesses and governments worldwide. It has revolutionised the way we work, communicate and do business. In developing economies, the adoption of information technology can have a significant impact on productivity growth by reducing manual processes and improving communication and collaboration.

By enabling remote work, businesses can increase efficiency and competitiveness. This can lead to improved customer satisfaction, increased innovation and growth,” he said.