National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has challenged the present generation to lead the way for a resilient, sustainable and inclusive digital future.
The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Kashifu Abdullahi, noted that collaborative efforts would foster a resilient Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem in Nigeria. He said the world lives in an exciting time of technological advancement, where the science fiction of yesterday is fast becoming reality in today’s products and services.
The DG spoke yesterday at the IoT West Africa Conference and Exhibition 2023 in Lagos. Abdullahi said: “We are at a crossroads between digital and analogue. And the generation before us never experienced what is digital, and the generation after us will never experience analogue.
“Our generation has a responsibility to provide the needed leadership to build a resilient, sustainable and inclusive digital future. Digital technology has transformed our lives, revolutionised the way we learn, work and socialise. It has empowered individuals or nations, bridging gaps and creating opportunities. It has profoundly impacted the dynamics of competitiveness by transforming how businesses operate and compete. And it raises hope, it challenges the conventional wisdom and reshapes the competitive landscape in several ways by disrupting industries, raising or lowering the barriers to entry, increasing speed and agility, and expanding global reach and scalability, as well as enhancing customer experience.
“So, today, the fundamental module for value creation has changed. And we are witnessing a paradigm shift in many ways. First, our systems are becoming increasingly capable, systems that outperform human in so many ways, like we are seeing the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), chat GPT and many more.”
He added: “Our society is becoming more quantified. So, this is the kind of world we are, and IoT is the fabric of this shift we are witnessing. It is accelerating the convergence in our physical, biological and digital world. Today, there is no much difference between human and machine, as the distinction is fading.
“So, looking at all these, IoT has a potential to transform our world and Nigeria.” Stating the need for improvement, the NITDA boss submitted: “We need to increase our agri-produce, and IoT can help us to do that. We can have a sensor attached to our plant to manage it.
“I think we need to do more because we are growing faster than any nation in the world. By 2050, Nigeria will be the third largest population in the world. Therefore, we need to explore how we can deploy IoT to increase food production. And also, we can use it to address our security challenges.”
For the initiative to work seamlessly, Abdullahi advised Nigeria to fix its decrepit infrastructure, since IoT depends on cloud-based solutions like Alexa Google to function.
Also speaking, India-Africa, Trade Commissioner in Nigeria, Gagan Arora, who delivered a presentation on: ‘How is The India-Nigeria Bilateral Relations Helping the Development of the Power Sector in Nigeria? stated that Nigeria remains a top investment destination in the world.
Arora, who is also founder and president of Vertex Group, added: “We are trying to enhance Nigeria’s power, agriculture and technology sectors. We want Africa to be technologically savvy like other parts of the world.”
Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Folake Soetan, who spoke on the theme, ‘Solving Distribution Challenges in Nigeria’, stressed the need to accelerate power development in the country to achieve the 2030 target.
“I am encouraged that the new government has prioritised this, and as such, I am very hopeful for the future.
“To achieve the power transmission agenda 2030, it’s important that all stakeholders must work in a coordinated manner. Both the government, distribution companies, regulatory bodies and consumers must align with the objective,” she advised.
In her contribution, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Eko Electricity Didribution Company (EKEDC), Dr. Tinuade Sanda, while canvassing investment in Research and Development (R&D), said the move could assist utilities to address challenges, drive advancements and improve service delivery.
She said nations like Egypt and South Africa have successfully demonstrated positive outcomes of R&D investments in their utility sectors. Sanda added that solar energy could improve the economy and energy access in Nigeria, particularly in rural areas, where access to the national grid is limited.
