Experts charge Nigerians on local programming to boost growth

Towards using technology as a development driver, the Founder, JC Capital in South Africa, Joel Chimhanda, has charged Nigerians to commence the deployment of mobile applications as well as the right computer programmes in the three major local languages to promote growth.

Chimhanda, who made the call in Lagos, during the sixth edition of the Innovention Series, noted that the country needs to write high quality electronic learning syllabus in Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo to bridge the gap in technological knowledge.

He said technology is an enabler; hence a step in that direction would facilitate the growth of problem solving softwares, as people without school degrees would be empowered to write programmes to address the nation’s challenges.

According to him, it is vital for Nigeria to emulate the trend in Rwanda, which has the highest Internet per capita in Africa, because they have invested in structures to support mobile application switching.

“And for that to happen in Nigeria, somebody has to spend without expecting a return in their investment, and that is the role government is to play,” he added.

Addressing the theme for this year’s series, “How Technology is Driving Africa’s New Narrative,” the Executive Vice Chairman, Verdant Zeal Group, Tunji Olugbodi, observed that the media plays a major role and can therefore help change the narrative by presenting the populace with facts to inform right decisions as well as promote the continent’s local content.

“We need to change our mindset, acquire skills and then tools to move ahead, because there is no country free of problems, so if we continue to complain about the country, there is no way we can grow,” he remarked.

Olugbodi maintained that the Innovention series is an attempt to provide pragmatic measures of encouraging the young vulnerable African population to acquire vital skills to participate in the global economy now dictated by technology.

He added; “Nigeria leads the continent and is expected to be among the top 10 internet using countries in the world by 2018, but amidst this giant technological strides. There is still a large demography of young people, mostly women, who remain in rural and semi urban areas, below the poverty line and seem unable to tap into this new economy.”