BY EBRIKU JOHN FRIDAY
The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, said that the Agency is currently re-strategising to provide an enabling environment for ICT Start-ups in the country.
NITDA DG, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi
Inuwa stated this when he received in audience the leadership of FinTech Association of Nigeria, who were at the Agency to congratulate him and also partner with NITDA in various Information Technology programmes.
He said, “NITDA as the regulator is using its mandate to identify Nigerians who are capable of bringing ideas to the table.
According to him, “It is NITDA’s responsibility to provide enabling environment to Nigerians through capacity building so as to develop Nigeria’s IT ecosystem, while the private sector assist in creating jobs for Nigerians.”
The DG further stated that, “the private companies and organisations also have a role to play for ICT sector to thrive. They should not stay away from us, they are part of us, and we are part of them, while we are working as government agency in charge of regulating and developing Information Technology in the country, the private sector can also invest so as to boost our economy.”
He added that, Nigeria as a country needs everyone, especially IT stakeholders to invest in the industry, according to him, that is the way to develop ICT in the capital market.
He however said that Government is doing its best to make the sector safe haven for all start-ups in the country.
“Nigerian Government has made all available resources for Start-ups to thrive, but that alone cannot turn our dreams to reality. Corporate Entities, Entrepreneurs, Risk Capital, Venture Capital, and Universities also need to play their roles. We can provide the enabling environment while others invest. This will create the right direction towards achieving our goals,” he said.
Inuwa urged FinTech Association of Nigeria to continue the good work it does in connecting with stakeholders in the FinTech community locally, regionally and internationally to establish a critical bridge for the Nigerian FinTech ecosystem and ensure that support systems exist for a more conducive operating environment through collaborative efforts.
Earlier, in his remark, the Chief Operating Officer of FinTech Association of Nigeria, Dr Babatunde Obrimah, accompanied by Chairman of ProShare, Olufemi Awoyemi and Damilola Ishie, thanked the Director General of NITDA, and also congratulated him on his appointment as 5th DG of the Agency.
Dr Obrimah also sought for proper collaboration between the FinTech Association and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in moving Financial Technology forward in the country.
He said, “It is crystal clear that the private sector cannot survive without government’s support and intervention, therefore there is need to collaborate with NITDA to drive ideas.”
“We need to come together and get things done. As you can see now, people steal other’s ideas. You brainstorm and come up with something; someone somewhere get away with it.”
“The country is ours. We built this association to grow the best brain in Nigeria and work with government,” he said.
He averred that, “FinTech Association of Nigeria is not here to compete with government. The purpose of building this association is to form harmony between stakeholders under FinTech and the government at large.”
“We are aware of NITDA’s mandate to regulate and develop this sector and that is why we are here. We have so much confidence in you and your leadership. We all rely and count on you. We also hope that our partnership will be of benefit to Nigeria and Nigerians economically,” Dr Obrimah said.
