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oauife.edu.ng1

Info

rmatio

n T

echn

olo

gy

Info

rmatio

n T

echn

olo

gy

Develo

pm

ent in

Nig

eriaD

evelop

men

t in N

igeria

Th

e Ro

le of all S

ectors

Th

e Ro

le of all S

ectors

ByBy

G. O

lalere. Ajayi *,G

. Olalere. Ajayi *,

Director General/CEO

,Director G

eneral/CEO,

National Information Technology Developm

ent Agency.National Inform

ation Technology Development Agency.

Nigeria.Nigeria.

5 February, 20025 February, 2002

*Professor of Com

munication E

ngineering On leave from

Obafem

i Aw

olowo U

niversity Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

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IntroductionIntroduction

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Statistics o

n N

igeria

Statistics o

n N

igeria

Nigeria is a nation of aboutNigeria is a nation of about120m

illion people;120m

illion people;

There are 36 states and 774There are 36 states and 774local governm

ent areaslocal governm

ent areas. .O

nly 15% of people over the

Only 15%

of people over theage of 15 can read and w

riteage of 15 can read and w

rite(English)(English) - - 67%

male and 47%

67% m

ale and 47%fem

ale. (1995 estimation)

female. (1995 estim

ation); ;

54% of labour force w

orks in54%

of labour force works in

agriculture, 40% in services

agriculture, 40% in services

and 6% in industry

and 6% in industry. .

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State o

f ICT

in N

igeria

State o

f ICT

in N

igeria

Telephone LinesTelephone Lines

Fixed Lines: 750, 000 with only about 450,000 lines operational.

Fixed Lines: 750, 000 with only about 450,000 lines operational.

Mobile Lines: Less than 30,000 subscribers before the introduction

Mobile Lines: Less than 30,000 subscribers before the introduction

of GSM

in Aug. 2001. Presently there are about 350,000 mobile

of GSM

in Aug. 2001. Presently there are about 350,000 mobile

subscribers in the country.subscribers in the country.

Plans are on-line for a 2Plans are on-line for a 2

nd nd National Operator.

National Operator.

Guidelines and Processes have started

Guidelines and Processes have started

NITEL, the incumbent National Telecom

s Operator

NITEL, the incumbent National Telecom

s Operator

has been privatized with governm

ent relinquishinghas been privatized w

ith government relinquishing

51% of its holdings to the New

Private Partner;51%

of its holdings to the New Private Partner;

Installation of an optical fibre network along the

Installation of an optical fibre network along the

national power grid w

ill soon take off;national pow

er grid will soon take off;

Large number of VSAT operations for Internet

Large number of VSAT operations for Internet

Services by both the public and the private sectorServices by both the public and the private sector. .

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oauife.edu.ng5

Recen

t efforts m

ade b

y the G

overn

men

t tow

ards

Recen

t efforts m

ade b

y the G

overn

men

t tow

ards

ICT

Develo

pm

ent in

Nig

eria.IC

T D

evelop

men

t in N

igeria.

Launched the National telecomm

unications Policy in Sept.Launched the National telecom

munications Policy in Sept.

2000.2000.Developed a Com

prehensive Science and TechnologyDeveloped a Com

prehensive Science and TechnologyPolicy (2001).Policy (2001).Declaration of Biotechnology and ICT as National PriorityDeclaration of Biotechnology and ICT as National PriorityProjects (2001);Projects (2001);National Policy on Biotechnology developed and LaunchedNational Policy on Biotechnology developed and Launched(2001);(2001);National Policy on Inform

ation Technology developed andNational Policy on Inform

ation Technology developed andLaunched (2001);Launched (2001);Establishm

ent of National Information Technology

Establishment of National Inform

ation TechnologyDevelopm

ent Agency (NITDA).Developm

ent Agency (NITDA).National Space Research and Developm

ent AgencyNational Space Research and Developm

ent Agency(NARSDA) launched a program

for the Nigerian Satellite(NARSDA) launched a program

for the Nigerian SatelliteSystem

.System

.

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Need

for an

Need

for an

Info

rmatio

n T

echn

olo

gy P

olicy

Info

rmatio

n T

echn

olo

gy P

olicy

The Federal The Federal governm

entgovernm

ent has recognized the has recognized the

importance of IT as a m

ajor key to economic

importance of IT as a m

ajor key to economic

growth and sustainability.

growth and sustainability.

That culminated in a W

orkshop on the IT PolicyThat culm

inated in a Workshop on the IT Policy

in Abuja in March, 2000.

in Abuja in March, 2000.

The workshop brought together m

ajor ITThe w

orkshop brought together major IT

stakeholders likestakeholders like

COAN

, IT Association of Nigeria, CPN

, all major stake holders

COAN

, IT Association of Nigeria, CPN

, all major stake holders

in the Public and the Private sector.in the Public and the Private sector.

With the collaboration of several com

mittees the IT

With the collaboration of several com

mittees the IT

Policy was produced and w

as approved by thePolicy w

as produced and was approved by the

Federal Executive Council in March, 2001.

Federal Executive Council in March, 2001.

NITDA is the implem

entation body of the IT policy.NITDA is the im

plementation body of the IT policy.

3/1/02gajayi@

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Nig

erian N

ation

al IT P

olicy

Nig

erian N

ation

al IT P

olicy

Th

e Visio

nT

he V

ision

To make Nigeria an IT capable country

To make Nigeria an IT capable country

in Africa and a key player in thein Africa and a key player in theInform

ation Society by the year 2005,Inform

ation Society by the year 2005,using IT as the engine for sustainableusing IT as the engine for sustainabledevelopm

ent and globaldevelopm

ent and globalcom

petitiveness.com

petitiveness.

3/1/02gajayi@

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oauife.edu.ng8

Nig

erian N

ation

al IT P

olicy

Nig

erian N

ation

al IT P

olicy

Th

e Missio

nT

he M

ission

The Mission is to Use

The Mission is to Use “ “IT IT” ” for:

for:EducationEducationCreation of W

ealthCreation of W

ealthPoverty EradicationPoverty EradicationJob CreationJob CreationG

lobal Competitiveness

Global Com

petitiveness

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IT P

olicy: S

trategies

IT P

olicy: S

trategies

Radio tow

er

Radio tow

er

Radio tow

er

Radio tow

er

Radio tow

er

Radio tow

er

Satellite dish

Institutional CapacityBuilding

Hum

an Resource Capacity

Building

InfrastructureCapacityBuilding

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Ch

alleng

es of In

form

ation

Ch

alleng

es of In

form

ation

Tech

no

log

y Develo

pm

ent in

Tech

no

log

y Develo

pm

ent in

Nig

eriaN

igeria

& &S

olu

tion

s pro

ffered b

y the IT

Po

licyS

olu

tion

s pro

ffered b

y the IT

Po

licy

3/1/02gajayi@

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Ch

alleng

esC

hallen

ges to to

Hu

man

Cap

acity Develo

pm

ent

Hu

man

Cap

acity Develo

pm

ent

Inadequate number of trained IT personnel;

Inadequate number of trained IT personnel;

Low requisite IT skills by m

ost of the working

Low requisite IT skills by m

ost of the working

population;population;Under-developm

ent of the IT industry;Under-developm

ent of the IT industry;The w

ealth of the nation depends much on the

The wealth of the nation depends m

uch on thenatural resources than hum

an resources;natural resources than hum

an resources;Inadequate facilities for the developm

ent of ITInadequate facilities for the developm

ent of ITm

anpower in the nation

manpow

er in the nation’ ’s educationals educational

institutions;institutions;M

ass exodus of skilled IT professionals to theM

ass exodus of skilled IT professionals to thedeveloped w

orld.developed w

orld.

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Strateg

ies tow

ards

Strateg

ies tow

ards

Hu

man

Cap

acity Develo

pm

ent

Hu

man

Cap

acity Develo

pm

ent

Making the use of IT m

andatory at all levels ofM

aking the use of IT mandatory at all levels of

educational institutions through adequate financialeducational institutions through adequate financialprovision for tools and resourcesprovision for tools and resources; ;Establishing facilities for electronic distanceEstablishing facilities for electronic distancelearning netw

orks and learning netw

orks and the ensuring the ensuring effective Internet

effective Internetconnectivityconnectivity; ;Establishing study grants and scholarships toEstablishing study grants and scholarships todeserving Nigeriansdeserving Nigerians; ;Em

powering IT institutions and developm

ent centresEm

powering IT institutions and developm

ent centresto develop IT capacities initially at zonal, state andto develop IT capacities initially at zonal, state andlocal levelslocal levels; ;Using Using ICTs

ICTs to convert brain-drain to brain-grain to convert brain-drain to brain-grain

(brain talent globalization).(brain talent globalization).

3/1/02gajayi@

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Ch

alleng

esC

hallen

ges to to

Infrastru

ctural C

apacity D

evelop

men

tIn

frastructu

ral Cap

acity Develo

pm

ent

Inadequate telecomm

unication facilities;Inadequate telecom

munication facilities;

Poor telecomm

unication infrastructures;Poor telecom

munication infrastructures;

Non-scalable state of existingNon-scalable state of existinginfrastructures;infrastructures;Uncoordinated developm

ent in theUncoordinated developm

ent in thetelecom

munication sector;

telecomm

unication sector; Lack of m

odern technologies like fibre Lack of m

odern technologies like fibreoptics, satellite and wireless technologiesoptics, satellite and wireless technologiesin our existing telecom

munication

in our existing telecomm

unicationinfrastructure.infrastructure.

3/1/02gajayi@

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oauife.edu.ng14

Strateg

ies tow

ards

Strateg

ies tow

ards

Infrastru

ctural C

apacity D

evelop

men

tIn

frastructu

ral Cap

acity Develo

pm

ent

Declaring the establishment of

Declaring the establishment of National Inform

ationNational Inform

ationInfrastructure Backbone (NIIB)Infrastructure Backbone (NIIB) as a fundam

ental national as a fundam

ental nationalm

issionm

ission; ;

Planning, designing and configuring a scalable (NIIB) to achievePlanning, designing and configuring a scalable (NIIB) to achievea m

inimum

capacity of 2.5Gbps, using com

bination of opticala m

inimum

capacity of 2.5Gbps, using com

bination of opticalfibres, satellite com

munications and w

ireless technologyfibres, satellite com

munications and w

ireless technology; ;

Involving through consultations, the IT Professionals, Experts,Involving through consultations, the IT Professionals, Experts,Universities and Research Centres, industries and businessUniversities and Research Centres, industries and businessenterprises in the establishm

ent processesenterprises in the establishm

ent processes; ;

Promoting high bandw

idth physical connectivity usingProm

oting high bandwidth physical connectivity using

broadband technologies as effective pipelines for large andbroadband technologies as effective pipelines for large andm

ulti-media applications.

multi-m

edia applications.

3/1/02gajayi@

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oauife.edu.ng15

Th

e Natu

re of th

eT

he N

ature o

f the

Natio

nal In

form

ation

Infrastru

cture B

ackbo

ne (N

IIB)

Natio

nal In

form

ation

Infrastru

cture B

ackbo

ne (N

IIB)

State Information

InfrastructureBackbone (SIIB)

3/1/02gajayi@

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Statistics o

n N

igerian

Statistics o

n N

igerian

Acad

emic In

stitutio

ns/R

esearch

Acad

emic In

stitutio

ns/R

esearch C

entres

Cen

tres

Category N

umber

Enrolment

Graduate turn-out

Universities 46

319,914

64,749 Polytechnics

46 219,770

58,275

College of Education

61 105,416

21,147

Secondary Schools

6,596 5,274,285

607,000

Prim

ary Schools 41,480

16,306,456

2,174,154

40 major research centres in Science and

Technology20 m

ajor research centres in the AgriculturalSector.4 m

ajor research centres in the Energy Sector.

AdditionallyAdditionally

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Ch

alleng

es to d

evelop

ing

Ch

alleng

es to d

evelop

ing

Institu

tion

al Cap

acity in IT

Institu

tion

al Cap

acity in IT

More than 90%

of these academic institutions in

More than 90%

of these academic institutions in

Nigeria do not have Internet connectivity;Nigeria do not have Internet connectivity;About 3%

manage w

ith unstable dial-upAbout 3%

manage w

ith unstable dial-upconnectivity using the NITEL lines;connectivity using the NITEL lines;Less than 2%

have Internet bandwidth of m

oreLess than 2%

have Internet bandwidth of m

orethan 64Kbps.than 64Kbps.Com

parativelyCom

parativelyO

ver 200 universities in the US haveO

ver 200 universities in the US have45M

bps Internet Connectivity;45M

bps Internet Connectivity;85%

of primary schools have 1.5M

bps85%

of primary schools have 1.5M

bpsInternet connectivity.Internet connectivity.

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Strateg

ies tow

ards

Strateg

ies tow

ards

Institu

tion

al Cap

acity Develo

pm

ent

Institu

tion

al Cap

acity Develo

pm

ent

Empow

ering IT institutions and development centres

Empow

ering IT institutions and development centres

to develop IT capacities initially at to develop IT capacities initially at zonal

zonal, state and, state and

local levelslocal levels; ;Facilitating the grow

th of private and public sectorFacilitating the grow

th of private and public sectordedicated prim

arydedicated prim

ary, , secondary and tertiary IT secondary and tertiary IT

educational institutionseducational institutions; ;To establish joint G

overnment/Private sector

To establish joint Governm

ent/Private sectorinstitutional fram

ework for developing Advisory

institutional framew

ork for developing AdvisoryStandards and quality controlStandards and quality control; ;Restructuring the educational system

at all levels with

Restructuring the educational system at all levels w

itha view

to developing relevant IT curricula for thea view

to developing relevant IT curricula for theprim

ary, secondary and tertiary institutions prim

ary, secondary and tertiary institutions thatthat

shouldshould respond effectively to the challenges

respond effectively to the challenges of theof the

information age;

information age;

Allocation of IT development fund to education.

Allocation of IT development fund to education.

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So

me P

rojects in

the

So

me P

rojects in

the

Ed

ucatio

nal S

ector

Ed

ucatio

nal S

ector

NUNetNUNet is being scaled up to

is being scaled up to EDUnetEDUnet – – to to

provide connectivity to educationalprovide connectivity to educationalinstitutions at all levels (institutions at all levels (W

orldBankW

orldBank financing financing

expected);expected);SchoolNetSchoolNet Nigeria has joined the

Nigeria has joined the SchoolNetSchoolNet

Africa initiative (funding by the EducationalAfrica initiative (funding by the EducationalTask Force);Task Force);Virtual library project Virtual library project – – This w

ill initially This w

ill initiallyinvolve eleven universities w

ith the provisioninvolve eleven universities w

ith the provisionof VSAT term

inals;of VSAT term

inals;Distance Education using the SatelliteDistance Education using the Satellitetechnology is on the pipe-line.technology is on the pipe-line.

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Oth

er O

ther S

ectoral

Secto

ral Ap

plicatio

n o

f A

pp

lication

of

Th

e IT P

olicy

Th

e IT P

olicy

Re-engineering of AgricultureRe-engineering of AgricultureIT based Healthcare system

sIT based Healthcare system

sTransform

ation of Governance

Transformation of G

overnanceUrban and Rural Developm

entUrban and Rural Developm

entTrade and Com

merce

Trade and Comm

erceFiscal M

easures, etcFiscal M

easures, etc

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Agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture

Nigeria can use IT to re-engineer agriculture for theNigeria can use IT to re-engineer agriculture for thepurpose ofpurpose of

Maxim

izing food productionIm

proving food self-sufficiency and securityIncreasing output for industrial raw

materials utilization.

Providing employm

ent etc.

Employing IT in the re-engineering of the agricultural

Employing IT in the re-engineering of the agricultural

sector include:sector include:

Food SecurityIntroduction of technologies like biotechnology and genetic engineeringAid in environm

ental monitoring and natural resource assessm

ent.Agrovision w

hich involve the use of metrological inform

ation with agro-

based statistical data to predict the best conditions for exploiting our richagricultural potential.

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Input of IT to

Trade and C

omm

erceInput of IT

toInput of IT

to

Trade and C

omm

erceT

rade and Com

merce

Benefits of E-comm

erceO

n-line shoppingM

arketing on the Web

On-line Advertising

Global M

arket Place

Benefits of E-comm

erceBenefits of E-com

merce

On-line shopping

Marketing on the W

ebO

n-line AdvertisingG

lobal Market Place

Old

type

of

Trad

e and

Co

mm

erce

Old

type

Old

type

of

of

Trad

e and

Co

mm

erceT

rade an

d C

om

merce

Electro

nic C

om

merce

Electro

nic C

om

merce

• •E-b

usin

essE

-bu

siness

• •E-fin

ancin

gE

-finan

cing

• •E-b

ankin

g

E-b

ankin

g

Information T

echnologyInform

ation Technology

Information T

echnology

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How

IT w

ill revolutionize

Arts, C

ulture and Tourism

How

IT w

ill revolutionizeH

ow IT

will revolutionize

Arts, C

ulture and Tourism

Arts, C

ulture and Tourism

NITDA will encourage the follow

ing NITDA w

ill encourage the following

through relevant strategiesthrough relevant strategies: :

Establishing more schools for the developm

ent ofEstablishing m

ore schools for the development of

multim

edia technology.m

ultimedia technology.

Providing Internet connectivity to major tourist areas w

ithProviding Internet connectivity to m

ajor tourist areas with

links to all popular search engines.links to all popular search engines.Creating W

ebsites to Project Nigerian Culture

Creating Websites to Project N

igerian CultureProviding facilities to sell N

igerian arts and cultural goodsProviding facilities to sell N

igerian arts and cultural goodson the Interneton the InternetD

eveloping multi-m

edia virtual galleryD

eveloping multi-m

edia virtual galleryD

eveloping low cost broadcast, video and film

industryD

eveloping low cost broadcast, video and film

industry

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Co

nclu

sion

Co

nclu

sion

The development of Inform

ation andThe developm

ent of Information and

Comm

unication Technologies in Nigeria in the pastCom

munication Technologies in Nigeria in the past

had not been very encouraging due the nationshad not been very encouraging due the nationslong history of m

ilitary incursions in government;

long history of military incursions in governm

ent;

Little was done in term

s of infrastructure, human

Little was done in term

s of infrastructure, human

resources and institutional developments;

resources and institutional developments;

The achievement and the rate of diffusion of IT in

The achievement and the rate of diffusion of IT in

Nigeria since the government approved the

Nigeria since the government approved the

national IT policy in March 2001 clearly

national IT policy in March 2001 clearly

demonstrate that w

ith the political will and

demonstrate that w

ith the political will and

determination developing countries can surely

determination developing countries can surely

leapfrog in to the Information Age.

leapfrog in to the Information Age.

Thank you and God Bless

Thank you and God Bless