The Zinox Group has urged the Federal Government to declare October 1, 2020, as Nigeria’s technology independence day.
Its Chairman, Leo Stan Ekeh, who made this call in a recent virtual chat with technology journalists, based his recommendation on the giant strides recorded by Nigeria in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
‘’October 1 is traditionally Nigeria’s Independence Day. It is a day that commemorates Nigeria’s emergence as a sovereign state. Considering the massive strides recorded so far in our journey to technological emancipation, the Federal Government should strongly consider declaring October 1 Nigeria’s technology independence day.
“I have often said that no country achieves true independence without a level of technological independence. The time has come for Nigeria to boldly emerge as a technology force on the continent and globally; to make the right investments and critical positioning necessary for securing our collective future in the 21st Century,” he declared.
The Imo State-born tech investor lauded the current administration for the greater focus on technology and knowledge development and referenced the renaming of the Ministry of Communications and its subsequent enhancement as a credible institution for anchoring Nigeria’s renewed approach to the emerging knowledge economy now brought to the front-burner by COVID-19.
“I commend the Federal Government for enhancing the Ministry of Communications, which, by its current status as the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and the appointment of a thorough-bred professional in the person of Dr. Isa Pantami, to oversee its affairs, is now eminently equipped to deliver on Nigeria’s march to digital emancipation.
“It has indeed been a journey of immense leaps and bounds, right from the time of Dr. Omobola Johnson through the era of Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, and now to the current achievements being recorded under Pantami.”
“Nevertheless, there is a lot more to be done, especially in leap-frogging our prevailing developmental challenges by leveraging the power of technology, as is the case in advanced climes. This will unleash the abundant skilled and modern human capital that Nigeria is potentially known for, create quality jobs, and unlock a certified future for the huge population of energetic youths.
“Today, a lot of our kids are out of school as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – a development that should not be the case, especially considering our capacity as a technology-compliant nation in finding a solution to bridge the gap.
“At this level of our development, Nigeria should be regarded as a global digital giant. We have the means, the talent, the human capital and the innate intelligence to make it happen,” the Zinox Group founder further said.
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