Inaugural Meeting Of Advisory Group On Technology & Creativity; Industrial Policy & Competitiveness Advisory Council

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WHY FG IS TAKING SERIOUS INTEREST IN TECHNOLOGY, CREATIVE SECTORS, BY OSINBAJO

“The Advisory Group will enable stakeholders in the technology and creative industries, to contribute directly to policy formulation, articulation and the design of both sectors going forward.  It will also bring together existing policies and on-going work taking place at Ministerial level to the Presidential level. It will enable coherence and signal the importance that the Federal Government attaches to these sectors.”

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, VICE-PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF ADVISORY GROUP ON TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVITY, INDUSTRIAL POLICY AND COMPETITIVENESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, ON MONDAY, 11TH JUNE, 2018.

PROTOCOLS

It is a special pleasure for me that we have brought this distinguished, diverse and talented group of people together, as we initiate the Advisory Group on Technology and Creativity of the National Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council (NIPCAC).

The technology and creative sectors have come to centre-stage in the Nigerian economy, given their actual and potential contribution to growth, job creation and entrepreneurship.  It is estimated for instance, that we have generated up to $70 billion in IT investments, and that our creative sector is one of the fastest growing in the world. Both sectors also contribute a great deal, in terms of employment, and have contributed enormously to boosting Nigeria’s global profile.

The striking thing though, is that the example of other countries shows great scope for expansion of both of these economic sectors.  Nigeria is, for instance, still ranked at 134 in the ICT development sector, while the creative sector contributes just over 1.4% to a gross domestic product.  In any case, the contribution of the technology and creative sectors, goes beyond macroeconomic benefits, to the empowerment of Nigeria’s young working population and preparing them for the digital future which indeed, is already here. 

The Advisory Group on Technology and Creativity is envisaged as part of the Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council.  The Council was established by Mr President in 2016, who asked that I serve as Chair, and it brings together, relevant ministers and heads of agencies, along with leading business people in order to boost public-private partnerships.  This partnership is inevitable if we bear in mind that the public sector only accounts for 8% of national income.

The benefits of placing the Advisory Group within the Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council is because the Council functions in a very dynamic, inclusive and result-oriented way.  It is also fairly well-resourced, by the private sector, which also means that we do not have to re-create new structures for managing the Advisory Group.

The Advisory Group will enable stakeholders in the technology and creative industries, to contribute directly to policy formulation, articulation and the design of both sectors going forward.  It will also bring together existing policies and on-going work taking place at Ministerial level to the Presidential level. It will enable coherence and signal the importance that the Federal Government attaches to these sectors. 

For instance, there have been several policies and interventions introduced to support the technology and creative sectors, especially by the Ministry of Communications Technology and the Ministry of Information and Culture.  For instance, NITDA has a strategic plan with seven sectors and has established an Office of ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE), to support actors in the technology sector.  That office has programmes like Start-Up Friday and Start-Up Clinic, to promote and encourage fresh startups, while interacting with existing start-ups, to help resolve the problems and challenges that they face daily.

The Federal Government has been working to promote the technology sector in Nigeria.  In addition to the successful Aso Villa Demo Day and several other such initiatives, the Federal Government is creating and supporting technology hubs across the country. In the last three weeks, I visited a number of technology hubs in Lagos and Abuja, I also activated the technology hubs for the North Central and North East. 

Similarly, the National Economic Council has been seized with the issue of expanding access to broadband infrastructure across the country, including by reducing and harmonizing the costs of provision and also the cost of right-of-way. At a meeting with stakeholders barely two weeks ago at the National Economic Council, which includes all governors, the governors of the 36 states, reached several far-reaching decisions, to bring down the cost of providing broadband infrastructure in individual states and attempting to streamline the type of charges that those who provide this type of service have to incur. 

With regard to the creative industry, the Federal Government recently took action to include the sector amongst those that could benefit from pioneer status.  Efforts are also underway, to tackle piracy in terms of intellectual property and copyright and to secure financial resources to support the sector and also enable the building of required infrastructural facilities.  The Bank of Industry also has the N1billion Nollyfund to support film production.

Such on-going work demonstrates the interface between the technology and creative sectors, especially with regard to financing, infrastructure, policy and regulation, etc.  Moreover, both sectors are increasingly using the same media and infrastructure – using an application to facilitate financial payments or to watch a movie require power and broadband facilities.

My expectation is that the work of the Advisory Group must add value to existing policies, by coming up with an inclusive and all-embracing roadmap for promoting the technology and creative sectors, so that they can create jobs, contribute to growth, and improve the well-being of Nigerians.  The Advisory Group could also help to increase the opportunities available for Nigerians to contribute to and excel in these sectors.

In conclusion, may I say that the quality of what we do in this advisory group, our resourcefulness and diligence, will define the future of these two sectors in the coming years?   

It is now my privilege and pleasure to inaugurate the Advisory Council on Technology and Creativity of the Nigerian Industrial Promotion and Competitiveness Advisory Council.

Thank you very much.