National IT Policy

The Nigerian IT Policy is focused on making Nigeria an IT capable country in Africa and a key player in the Information Society by the year 2005, using IT as the engine for sustainable development and global competitiveness.

The National IT Policy mandates NITDA to enter into strategic alliance, collaboration and joint venture with the private sector for the actualization of the IT vision, which is to make Nigeria an IT capable country as well as using IT as an engine for sustainable development and global competitiveness.

It is also to be used for education, job creation, wealth creation, poverty eradication and global competitiveness.

Emphasis is to be laid on development of National Information Infrastructure Backbone (NIIB) as well as the Human Resources Development. In addition, Information Technology Parts are to be developed in Abuja and in each of the six geo-political zones.

VISION STATEMENT

To make Nigeria an IT capable country in Africa and a key player in the Information society by the year 2005, using IT as the engine for sustainable development and global competitiveness.

MISSION STATEMENT

To USE IT for:

Education;

Creation of Wealth;

Poverty Eradication;

Job Creation;

Global Competitiveness.

Nigeria's National Information Technology Policy focuses on these general objectives, which are to be implemented by NITDA:

To ensure that Information Technology resources are readily available to promote efficient national development.

To guarantee that the country benefits maximally, and contributes meaningfully by providing the global solutions to the challenges of the Information Age.

To empower Nigerians to participate in software and IT development.

To encourage local production and manufacture of IT components in a competitive manner.

To establish and develop IT infrastructure and maximize its use nationwide.

To promote tourism and Nigerian arts and culture.

To enhance planning mechanisms and forecasting for the development of local infrastructure.

To enhance the effectiveness of environmental monitoring and control systems.

To re-engineer and improve urban and rural development schemes.

To empower the youth with IT skills and prepare them for global competitiveness.

To integrate IT into the mainstream of education and training.

To create IT awareness and ensure universal access in order to promote IT diffusion in all sectors of our national life.

To create an enabling environment and facilitate private sector (national and multinational) investment in the IT sector.

To stimulate the private sector to become the driving force for IT creativity and enhanced productivity and competitiveness.

To encourage government and private sector joint venture collaboration.

To develop human capital with emphasis on creating and supporting a knowledge-based society.

To create Special Incentive Programs (SIPs) to induce investment in the IT sector.

To generate additional foreign exchange earnings through expanded indigenous IT products and services.

To strengthen National identity and unity.

To build a mass pool of IT literate manpower using the NYSC, NDE and other platforms as "train the trainer" Scheme (TTT) for capacity building.

To set up Advisory standards for education, working practices and industry.

To establish appropriate institutional framework to achieve the goals stated above.

To download the National Information Technology Policy, please click here.