Information and communication technology experts have identified innovation as a driver for economic growth, calling on Nigerians to leverage the space to enhance trade and production. Adewale Adeyipo, group chief executive officer, CWG Plc in his address at the TeXcellence Conference II organised by the company with the theme ‘Innovating for the future’ emphasised the need for the nation to start producing for export.
“In Nigeria, as an economic driver, we must leverage technology trade to enhance the economic growth. We must emphasise the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as the national strategic plan”.
“Of course, evidence strongly suggests and supports that SMEs development is very critical as the portent force to economic growth. We must build for the purpose of exporting and we must create platforms to address this.
He said in the past 32 years, CWG Plc has been at the forefront of pioneering transformational innovation in the technology landscape in Nigeria. In an interview with journalists, Phillip Obioha, board chairman of the company, said there was a need for Africa to focus on innovation because that is the only way to ensure business sustainability, adding that innovation is finding new and efficient ways for doing things.
Speaking on regulation, he said regulation was also important because it helps keep the operators and innovators in check and called on operators in the tech space to ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
In his address, titled “Nigeria’s tech-driven future: Navigating opportunities and challenges,” Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director-general/CEO, the National Information and Technology Development Agency (NITDA), listed the importance of technology to the advancement of global economies. He said the future is driven by technology, adding that today technology has transformed our lives, disrupting the traditional industry and permeating every sphere of human activities.
Inuwa called on Nigeria to be deliberate in creating its future through technological innovations. “We need to create the future by using technology. You cannot forecast the future but you create it.”
Speaking on the importance of investment in research and development, Ireti Yusuf, chief technical officer of the company, in his contribution called on government and corporate entities to invest in the people by providing necessary infrastructure such as the building of schools, vocational training centres, technology libraries that will help youths to acquire knowledge because knowledge is key.
Source: Business Day
