Fourth Industrial Revolution: NITDA Working to Ensure Job Security—DG

August 3, 2020
NITDA DG Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said that it was working hard to ensure Nigerians are not left without jobs as the country works towards digital automation in the country.

This disclosure was made by the agency’s Director-General, Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, at an international conference on Information Technology in Education and Development (ITED 2020) organised by Academia in Information Technology Profession, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

He said it was necessary to look into the concerns and advantages of Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR) particularly as it relates to the fear of people losing their jobs due to digital automation.

The Director-General said that the agency was working round the clock help organisations adapt to the rapid transformation and also to prevent security risks triggered by digitisation.

Mr Inuwa, who was represented by Mr Usman Gambo Abdullahi, Director IT Infrastructure Solutions, stated that in order to adapt to the ICT Development in the FIR, the agency was developing new and updating regulatory framework putting into consideration economic, environmental and social aspects in a way it serves and benefits the people.

He assured participants that NITDA is quite aware of the concerns as it has and will continue to establish an adequate regulatory system for new business models and services while allowing the economy and the society to benefit from innovative ideas.

“One of our priorities as a regulatory agency is to strengthen the innovation capacity of the IT industry, which is why we have been deploying hubs and technology infrastructures in various parts of the nation,” he noted.

He also added that “We provide assistance to SMEs, start-ups and researchers by funding projects in line with digital innovation.”

The DG stressed that in order to better understand the FIR, it’s of importance to focus on the technologies driven aspects, which are: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Block-chain, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality, Holographic storages, Nanotechnology, Robotics, Biotechnology, IOT and many others.

“It is important to note that with the 4th Industrial Revolution presenting both immense opportunities and challenges, utmost cooperation is required to ensure it benefits our economic, social, cultural, and individual lives.

“This is the reason we are ensuring that all stakeholders from civil society, private and public sector are fully involved in the decision-making. We do engage stakeholders in our policy-making processes,” he assured.

Adedapo Adesanya

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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