The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, FNCS, FBCS, FIIM addressed the participants of the Digital Job Creation Training at the virtual Closing Ceremony, which took place on Friday, 12^th March 2021.  The ceremony was a culmination of the first phase of the training that took place simultaneously in five States of the country, namely Oyo, Ogun, Katsina, Jigawa and Imo.

The training programmes were part of the initiatives in the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) of the Federal Government, conceptualised and coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.  The ESP aims to enable Nigerians to respond robustly and appropriately to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the training is to ensure that Nigerians have the adequate digital access and digital literacy skills required to create digital jobs that can drive the Digital Economy of the country.

The Digital Job Creation Programme is in line Digital Nigeria Programme launched by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, on the 19th of March 2020. It also aligns with several pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy for a Digital Nigeria, including Pillar #2 on Digital Literacy and Skills.  This Pillar recognises the fact that citizens are the greatest assets in the digital economy and it supports the development of a large pool of digitally literate and digitally skilled citizens.  The Ministry is championing a paradigm shift that lays an emphasis on skills, in preference to merely having degrees without skills, since degrees are meant to validate skills.

In addition to the digital skills acquired during the training, all participants also received a laptop and some stipend.  They will also be provided with a modem with 1 year broadband subscription at an appropriate time, after the issue of suspension of the sale of new SIMs is resolved. Dr Pantami urged the participants to challenge themselves in order to stay motivated so that they can improve their level of skill.  He encouraged them to identify challenges in different sectors of the economy that their newly acquired digital skills can address.  He also tasked them to take advantage of the mentorship opportunities that will be made available. 

The next phase of the training is scheduled to commence in other parts of the country in a few days.

Dr Femi Adeluyi
Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to the
Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy
12^th March, 2021

With the vision of bridging the digital divide in Nigeria and ensuring that People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) are empowered with digital skills to thrive in the 21st-century global market as captured in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is overseeing a 5-day capacity development programme for PLWD.

The 5-day training programme is taking place in Enugu, Enugu State has participants drawn from all the South Eastern States of the Country. The programme which is a policy directive of the Ministry under the visionary leadership of the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami is implemented by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

The objective of the training is to facilitate and enhance Digital Inclusion among the participants and empower them with the digital skills and tools needed to thrive in the 21st century where digital transformation is dominating the globe.

The theme of the programme “Training in IT and Entrepreneurship” signifies the need to leverage entrepreneurial technologies and job creation especially in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic as reiterated in several fora by the Honourable Minister, Dr Pantami.

Mr Yusuf Abubakar
Personal Assistant (New Media) to the
Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy
2^nd March 2021

The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, FNCS, FBCS, FIIM, is very delighted to hear that the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector recorded the highest growth rate of all the sectors of the Nigerian economy in both the fourth quarter of 2020 (Q4 2020) and the entire year 2020.  This was based on the Q4 2020 Report on Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) released today, the 18th of February 2020, by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released

According to the NBS, " Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 0.11%(year-on-year) in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2020, representing the first positive quarterly growth in the last three quarters." In real terms, the non-oil sector contributed 94.13% to the nation’s GDP in Q4 2020 as opposed to the 5.87% contributed to total real GDP by the oil sector.

It is noteworthy that the ICT sector grew by 14.70% in Q4 2020, making it the fastest growing sector of the Nigerian economy and the only sector to have grown by double digits.  The ICT sector grew at a rate more than 4 times the next fastest growing sector of Q4 2020, which grew at 3.42%. 

The ICT sector also maintained its rapid growth rate in the year 2020 assessment, growing at 12.90%, or over 3 times the next best sector, which grew at 3.81%.  Again, the ICT sector was the only sector with a double digit growth rate.  Furthermore, the telecommunications sector recorded a growth rate of 15.90% and this was its highest growth rate in the last 10 years. This performance is unprecedented.

The Honorable Minister notes that the giant strides recorded in the ICT sector are a direct result of the focused and committed effort of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.  The strategic policy directions of the Federal Government include the National Digital Economy Policy for a Digital Nigeria and the Nigerian National Broadband Plan, amongst others.

The GDP Report has shown that the ICT sector is a catalyst for the diversification and growth of our economy.  The Honourable Minister calls on all sectors to take advantage of the Federal Government’s new focus on the digital economy to enable and improve their processes through the use of ICTs.  He also congratulates all stakeholders of the ICT sector and calls on them to continue supporting the policies of the Federal Government. This would enhance the output of all the sectors of the economy and boost Nigeria’s GDP.

Dr Femi Adeluyi
Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to the
Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy
19^th February 2020

The Federal Executive Council approved the building of the first National ICT Park during its meeting on the 10^th of February, 2021.  This followed the presentation of a memo by the Honourable Minister of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, FNCS, FBCS, FIIM.

The Park is the first of its kind due to its nature, activities and the state-of-the-art facilities it will have.  The Park will also accommodate the National ICT Exhibition Centre, as well as Museum for ICT and postal services, to showcase technology-related innovations by Nigerians.

The National ICT Park will be supported by the National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (NDIEC) that was earlier presented by the Honourable Minister and approved by the FEC on the 11^th of November, 2020 and whose groundbreaking was done by Dr Pantami on the 4^th of February, 2021. Both (the NDIEC and the Park) are legacy projects of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.  All the parastatals of the Ministry will be involved in managing the National Centres.

The National ICT Park would be a focal point for the supervision of both public and private ICT hubs in the country. The N8.9billion Park will be built on a 4,200 square meter land.  The Park will serve as a centre for National ICT Policy formulation, Research and Development. Through it, the Federal Government will provide the enabling environment for creative Nigerians to come up with innovative technologies.

The Park will have a number of benefits including boosting the digital economy, provision of space and environment for the growth of innovation driven enterprises (IDEs), serving as an incubator for cutting-edge technology and a mentorship platform for innovators, amongst others. It will provide a central location for Nigerian innovators with vibrant and developmental ideas to receive mentorship and all that they need to thrive.

The Honourable Minister, Ministry and the technology ecosystem are grateful for the tremendous support of Mr President for the Digital Economy sector. The Ministry will continue to position Nigeria to leverage technology in order to transform Nigeria into a leading digital economy.

Dr ‘Femi Adeluyi
Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to the
Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy
11^th February, 2020

Participants at the Public Service Innovation Challenge representing the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, who clinched the top three positions to emerge first, second and third winners of the competition organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation among 168 participants have been digitally empowered. 

Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami under whose purview the ministry falls, expressed satisfaction at the feat while presenting them with digital tools in his office on Wednesday, 27th January 2021. He affirmed that the ministry was proud of the achievement and that “the federal government will continue to support innovation and innovators that is why In addition to the monetary prizes won by our able teams, we are also presenting them with Laptops to further encourage and support their drive”.

The winning teams presented with Laptops by Dr Pantami include; 

Sogunro Oyindamola and Iliya Abdurrahman who won the first prize for developing a software solution that provides a reliable, e-platform for an organisation, Oluwaseun Winsala and Francis Ebire came second with their Digital ID and let Blockchain solution, while Zainab Saka and Tolulope Ibitoye came third with an effective reward system for civil servants. 

The maiden edition of the competition also saw the Ministry carting away the fourth and fifth positions at the competition. 

It will be recalled that the competition is aimed at promoting innovation in public service.

Uwa Suleiman (Mrs)

Spokesperson to the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy

27^th January 2021

The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, FNCS, FBCS, FIIM, has approved the setting up of a National Identity Number (NIN) enrolment centre at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The desk will be set up by Tuesday, 19th of January, 2021.

This enrolment centre will provide support for members of the Diplomatic Corps and will be managed by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, through the National Identity Management Commission. The centre is being set up based on the request of the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in order to simplify the process for diplomats.

The National Identity Number is mandatory for diplomats who will reside in Nigeria for a continuous period of two years or more. It is also mandatory for all other lawful residents in the country as stated in Section 16 of the National Identity Management Commission Act 2007.

The Law has made it mandatory for Nigerians and legal residents to obtain a NIN since 2007. However, compliance has been low, until recently. The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy remains committed to creating an enabling environment for all Nigerians and legal residents to obtain their Digital Identity Number.

Dr Femi Adeluyi
Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to the
Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy
17^th January, 2021

The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, FNCS, FBCS, FIIM, has approved the development and release of an improved National Identity Number (NIN) slip and a Mobile App. This is part of the Federal Government’s Policy to improve the process of obtaining NIN and linking it to SIM, which was sent to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for implementation.  The N20 and N40 fees for NIN verification by individuals and Mobile Network Operators, respectively, were also waived.  These efforts are aimed at supporting the Policy to link subscribers’ NIN to their SIM, which was approved by the Federal Government earlier in the year and communicated to the NCC on the 4^th of February, 2020. 

The highly anticipated Web Service (MWS) Application, called the NIMC Mobile App, and the improved National Identification Number (NIN) Slip are now available for public use. The App provides a secure channel for all Nigerians and legal residents to easily verify and authenticate their identities on-the-go using smartphones. It also enables them to link the NIN to their phone numbers. The development of the App and other tools to support the National Identity Number (NIN) process align with the National Digital Economy Policy for a Digital Nigeria.

The App offers a built-in harmonization process that allows for its use across other government services including the NCC, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Federal Road Safety Commission and National Health Insurance Scheme, to mention a few.

On the other hand, the new improved NIN slip is a pocket friendly and an easy to verify version of the NIN.  It can be accessed via a self-service Portal, where people who already have been issued the NIN, can log in,  download a PDF of the document in color (if preferred), print and laminate as desired. The current NIN Slip will remain valid and will be gradually phased-out.

The App is available on the Google Play store for Android users and App Store for IOS users. Details on how to download and install the App and download the improved NIN slip are available on the websites and social media platforms of the Ministry and NIMC.  Users can also download the improved NIN Slip at https://dashboard.nimc.gov.ng.

The Honourable Minister has directed NIMC to respond to enquiries and also provide multimedia guides to make it easy for users to obtain their improved NIN slips and install the App. The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy remains committed to creating an enabling environment for all Nigerians and legal residents to obtain their Digital Identity Number.

Dr Femi Adeluyi
Technical Assistant (Information Technology) to the
Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy
31^st December, 2020

The National Task Force on National Identification Number (NIN) and SIM Registration met today, 21^st December, 2020. The meeting was  chaired by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa  Ali Ibrahim (Pantami)  with major stakeholders in the sector including Chairman-NCC, EVC-NCC,  DG-NITDA, DG-NIMC, ECTS/ECSM-NCC, Chairman ALTON, CEOs of MTN, Airtel, Ntel, Glo, Smile, and 9Moble in attendance.

RESOLUTIONS

Based on the endorsement of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the following resolutions were made:

1. Three (3) weeks extension for subscribers with NIN from 30^th December, 2020 to 19^th January, 2021.
2. Six (6) weeks extension for subscribers without NIN from 30^th December, 2020 to 9th February, 2021.
3. NIMC has provided strategies to enable citizens attend the registration in full compliance with Covid-19 protocols – particularly the use of facemasks which remains mandatory and maintenance of social distancing.
4. The President appreciates Nigerians for their patience and commitment to update their Identities; The Federal Government also thanks all stakeholders for their compliance with the directives.
5. Mr. President has also commended the efforts of the Task Force and urges all stakeholders to take advantage of the extension to link their SIM card with their NIN.
6. USSD and verification charges remain suspended during these extensions.

      Prof. Umar G. Danbatta, FNSE, FRAES, FAEng, FNIEEE                        Engr. Aliyu Aziz

        Executive Vice-Chairman, NCC                                                                Director-General, NIMC

                                                                              For: Ministerial Task Force

The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) FNCS, FBCS,FIIM, MCPN has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to remove the N20 USSD fee imposed on subscribers for NIN retrieval requests.

The Minister’s directive which takes immediate effect, is an intervention aimed at making the process easier and affordable. In a letter conveying the implementation of the directive, the Executive Vice Chairman NCC and the Director General of NIMC, informed Dr Pantami that the relevant authorities had met with, and negotiated a waiver with the Mobile Network Operators in that regard. By this waiver, all Nigerians, subscribers and applicants can access the service using the *346# code for their NIN retrieval at no charge for the duration of the NIN/SIM Card integration exercise. 

Recall that the Federal Government had earlier directed that all National Identification Numbers be integrated with Subscriber Identification Modules for security purposes..

The Honourable Minister appreciates the efforts of all stakeholders and encourages them to continue to sacrifice more for national interest.

Signed

Uwa Suleiman (Mrs)

Spokesperson to the Honourable Minister of Communications & Digital Economy.

18^th December 2020