Nigeria has been officially incorporated as a partner of the Gulf Information Technology and Exhibition (GITEX) by the Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of the event.
This is as a result of the country’s participation in seven consecutive editions of the Gulf Information Technology and Exhibition, (GITEX).
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, who leads the Nigerian delegation, disclosed this while declaring the Nigerian pavilion open on behalf of the President Muhammadu Buhari.
GITEX is an annual consumer computer, information technology, and electronics show, conference and exhibition that takes place in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
The event is the biggest Information Technology show in Asia, the Middle East and Africa with over 1200 innovative technology enterprises and startup with over 60 countries comprising various government establishments participating.
The minister who was highly delighted over the development said: “I am glad that Nigeria has been incorporated into the official partners of Dubai World Trade Centre organiser of GITEX. It is highly commendable that we are now part and parcel of the event.”
Dr Pantami further stated that the nation’s participation at the annual global event is to cross-fertilize ideas and technological innovations that will facilitate the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, (NEDPS) plans of the government which was launched in 2019.
“As we can see, participation is all about the cross-fertilization of innovations and ideas; we are not here to participate just to see what is taken place rather ensure that we get more investors that are willing to invest in Nigeria and secondly bro get technological transferred ideas and innovations,” The Minister noted.
The Minister who recalled that the nation’s participation in the last edition was a huge success by the winning of the first price by a Nigerian on Artificial Intelligence category was is hopeful that Nigeria startups at this year event would perform far better.
Dr Pantami noted that active participation and attendance at of Nigeria’s delegates at conferences and seminar would be beneficial to the nation’s digital economy agenda.
“Whatever we learnt from here or ideas we shared with others are going to be beneficial to our country; you may recall that we have developed National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NEDPS) for Digital Nigeria which has eight pillars and I do know that our participation here will facilitate the implementation of all the eight pillars,” Pantami maintained.
The Minister declared that the NEDPS and the National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Policy, for which work has reached an advanced stage, are two prerequisites to building an indigenous digital economy for a digital Nigeria which would ensure attainment of digital innovation and indigenous digital entrepreneurship.
Zainab Sa’id
