Experts seek professionalism in digital legislations

Experts in Nigeria’s digital space have advised government and innovation drivers to adopt a professional approach to the regulations that could stifle digital innovations.

Such regulations, they argued, could prevent entrepreneurs from contributing effectively to the nation’s economic development.

Steering Committee Member of the Nigeria Health Innovation Marketplace (NHIM), Idris Bello, said this yesterday at the ongoing Lagos Startup Week (LSW).

Bello said, “Legislations can inhibit innovation and therefore, we need to understand that we cannot use old laws from the past to regulate the future because it does not understand it, more so a growing economy.’’

He cited the advent of drones in Nigeria and Ghana, in which both countries came up with measures against the use of drones, which inhibited its application, adding that Rwanda, however, adopted a learning approach to understand the technology.

With this technology, coupled with the others they adopted through a learning approach, they have been harnessed to address several social issues in their countries.

“We need technology professionals in our legal system and the medical system that will help in making legislations on the unending technological development,’’ he added.

Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has ranked Nigeria behind Rwanda and Ghana on e- readiness. From the Networked Readiness Index (NRI), which was based on the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).