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Nigeria gets new guidelines for IT sector

By Nkechi Onyedika-Ugoeze, Abuja
30 January 2019   |   4:29 am
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has introduced five new guidelines that would fast track effective and efficient development of Information Technology sector in Nigeria.

Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Dr Isa Pantami PHOTO: TWITTER NITDA NIGERIA

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has introduced five new guidelines that would fast track effective and efficient development of Information Technology sector in Nigeria.

The new guidelines includes: The Rule Making Process Regulation of NITDA; The Nigerian Data Protection Regulation; Guideline for IT Clearance; Guidelines for Public Internet Access and Framework for Use of Social Media in Public Institutions.

Presenting the guidelines, Director-General of the agency, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, said the new guidelines would help in the effective regulation of the IT sector, adding that they were products of painstaking research and wide consultations.

According to him, ‘’this effort is to ensure a defined, best practice approach to rule making is utilised by NITDA to develop sound instruments for regulation of IT. We also anticipate that the public will now understand all the processes involved in issuance of regulatory documents by the Agency. This policy also creates platforms for public engagement in the issuance of regulatory documents by the Agency.”

Pantami observed that there has been an increase in the patronage of locally assembled devices as records showed that Indigenous Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) sold 98,224 devices in 2015, 154,424 in 2016 respectively as well as 355,647 in 2017.”

He explained that NITDA standards, frameworks and guidelines are regulatory policies that requires implementation, stressing that the IT sector cannot be effectively developed without relevant rules and regulations that would create uniformity and consistency.

“We are also encouraging innovation as we shall soon issue directives to encourage MDAs to use emerging technologies like cloud computing, blockchain and various other platforms for big data analytics,” he added.The DG stressed the need for all public institutions to comply with the new guidelines in the procurement and utilization of their IT equipment.

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