NITDA engages Nigerians in UAE for Gitex 2016

For maximum impact at the 2016 Gitex Technology Week, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has engaged Nigerians in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) for a successful outing at the forum.

The acting Director-General of NITDA, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, said the participation of Nigerians based in UAE at the forum, scheduled to hold in October 16- 20 at the Dubai World Trade Centre was critical to the success of the country.

At a recent interactive session organized by the Nigeria foreign mission in the UAE through its Consulate in Dubai, Olatunji said the NITDA would be promoting opportunities in non-oil sectors and demonstrate government’s commitment to supporting foreign and local entrepreneurships, particularly in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.

The Gitex Technology Week organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre. (DWTC), is touted as the 3rd largest in the world. It attracted over 165, 000 trade visitors last year from over 115 countries.

The NITDA is facilitating Nigeria’s participation at three levels including the Nigerian Pavilion, Nigerian Startups cobs inside the Innovation Hub, and the Gitex Africa Investment Forum being co-managed by the NITDA and the DWTC.

“All these levels of participation are designed to ensure maximum exposure to ICT and other non-oil sectors, which is a cardinal economic goal of the current government under President Muhammadu Buhari. Dubai has become an international hub for business engagements. The NITDA has already opened talks with several business prospects through the support of the DWTC and the Consular Office here in Dubai.

“Since Nigeria started participating in Gitex, this is the first time we would be interacting with Nigerians and Nigerian business community here to seek your direct support and assure you of the willingness of the NITDA as well as sister agencies to work with you and enhance the value of the country’s GDP through non-oil enterprises,” said Olatunji as he spoke of the need for Nigerians to close ranks and promote the country as a strong, attractive economic brand.

He revealed that Nigeria will be promoting local IT startups and sharing with the world the potential that exist. We would also be here with older IT companies who are already doing well and are and ready to expand to the world.

The acting Nigeria Consul General, Dubai, UAE, Ambassador Babagana Wakil, assured that the foreign mission in the Dubai would mobilize Nigerian business communities and offshore business ventures interested in Nigeria to come leverage on Nigeria’s presence at Gitex to have direct interaction with the country’s officials over business opportunities in Nigeria. “I’m glad you are here to engage fellow Nigerians who are successfully managing different enterprises in the UAE. Your presence is affirming our position here that government is not far away from every Nigerian. This meeting also serves to encourage Nigerians here to do more for their country and to assure them that the mission’s doors are open to assist them in meeting these goals,” said Wakil.

Present at the meeting were also Dr. Obaid Saqer Busit, a leading lawyer in Dubai on arbitration and international trade with his Private Legal Assistant Jason Ferriman. Busit said his firm, Busit Advocates & Legal Consultants, was opening presence in Nigeria to help address issues as they concern international investments flow into the country. “Nigeria has a remarkable attraction.

While her government works on providing infrastructure and investment policy-friendliness, we recognised that the country has dire need for international legal experts on trade and investments. As the Nigerian foreign mission in Dubai already knows, we share common faith in Nigeria as the continent’s largest economy.”