NITDA reiterates commitment to boosting creativity, innovation to achieve SDGs’
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) had reiterated its commitment to boost Nigeria’s creativity and innovation to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals agenda.
This is contained in a statement by Mrs Hadiza Umar, the agency’s Corporate Affairs and External Relations Head, issued on Wednesday, in Abuja.
She said that Nigeria would join the rest of the globe to boost her creativity and that NITDA was working in line with the UN directive for member countries to make cultural and creative industries part of their economic growth strategies.
Umar added that the UN had, therefore, established the annual World Creativity and Innovation Day (WCID) celebrated globally on April 21.
She recalled that the WCID was dedicated to raise awareness on the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development, as well as highlighting the importance of creativity and innovation for utmost efficiency in advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
With the global theme as “Collaboration”, Umar said the agency would be celebrating the day nationally under the theme “Creativity and Innovation: Powering Collaboration for a Sustainable Digital Economy.”
“The UN urges its member countries to make cultural and creative industries part of their economic growth strategies.
“It is for this reason and more that NITDA had keyed into this transformative initiative and was making strategic realignments to consolidate the gains, and globally position Nigeria as a leading digital innovation and entrepreneurship hub,” she said.
According to her, part of the activities to mark the day would include an exposition, an innovation challenge and pitch session, panel discussion on the theme of the day, among others.
She invited the general public to be part of the day’s celebration organised by the agency’s subsidiaries, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) and Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation.
Umar also directed the public to access more information on [email protected].
Reports state that the UN invited the world to embrace the idea that innovation was essential for harnessing the economic potentials of nations; envisaging that innovation, creativity and mass entrepreneurship could provide new momentum for economic growth and job creation.
“It can expand opportunities for everyone, including women and youth, provide solutions to some of the most pressing problems such as poverty eradication and the elimination of hunger”, the UN said.
