Pantami approves new subsidiary for NITDA
By Ibiyemi Mathew
The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) has approved the creation of a new subsidiary for the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The Agency’s new subsidiary which will be known as the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI) is a creation that emerged after the successful merger of two of its subsidiaries.
In a press statement issued by the agency’s Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations,Mrs Hadiza Umar, the agency noted that NITDA, in its effort to implement the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) and to streamline its operation to serve stakeholders more efficiently, merged two (2) of its former Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), the Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE) and the Office for Nigerian Content Development in ICT (ONC), to create a more robust and functional subsidiary.
According to the statement,”The ONC was established as a strategic vehicle to drive the implementation of the Nigerian Content Program and monitor compliance with the Regulatory Guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT, issued in December 2013 and updated in August 2019.”
“While the OIIE was positioned to work with stakeholders to analyse and evaluate their current ecosystems, build bridges between stakeholders to arrive at shared agendas and collectively design and implement strategic interventions (policies and programs) which are based on best practices to bolster the growth of innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.”
“Both subsidiaries had a mandate to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the Nigerian digital ecosystem, as well as to create the necessary people resources and capacity. ONC and OIIE collaborated with important stakeholders in the ecosystem to achieve this goal. However, the problem was that many of these activities cross-pollinated, became redundant, and lacked the necessary cross-subsidiary collaboration. Furthermore, it led to duplication of work, re-invention of the wheel and poor use of resources.”
“As a result, the Management of NITDA in its effort to streamline its activities, promote efficiency and effective use of resources decided on the establishment of a single body capable of directing the activities of both subsidiaries as one,” the statement read.
This is in furtherance of the Agency’s culture to be on a continuous path of improvement and new strategic vision which is “To proactively facilitate the development of Nigeria into a sustainable digital economy.” NITDA shall continue to evaluate its previous plan, in order to refocus the agency along the lines of the government policies, current state of the IT industry, future trends, current aspirations of the citizenry and the general intendment of government.
A closer look at the statement revealed that the ONDI will be positioned to execute programmes aimed at strengthening the Nigerian digital innovation ecosystem to create more Innovation-Driven Enterprises (IDEs), as well as promote the development of indigenous content in the Nigerian digital sector.
In addition, the office will ensure the promotion, growth, and protection of Nigerian digital innovation ecosystem for a sustainable digital economy.
