President Buhari Commissions National Shared Service Centre to Fight Cybercrime

…reinstates administration’s commitment to the development of an unparalleled digital economy that is enhanced by a sound ICT sector.

President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned a National Shared Services Centre today. The Center, which houses a Cybersecurity Operations Centre, Network Centre & Call Centre, is a one-stop-shop for Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the government to interface with Nigerians.

President Buhari reiterated the administration’s commitment to developing an unparalleled digital economy enhanced by a sound ICT sector. Also, he emphasized the administration’s commitment to combat cybercrime issues in the country.

This development was made known via a tweet from the President’s official account. According to President Buhari, 400 Ministries, Departments and Agencies are already connected to the National Shared Services Centre.

He says:

“Our commitment to the development of Nigeria’s digital economy is unparalleled. We understand its significance to the national economy – Nigeria’s ICT sector contributed an unprecedented 18.44% to Q2 2022 GDP,close to 3 times the 6.33% oil sector contribution in the same quarter.”

Muhammadu Buhar, Prsesident of the federal Republic of Nigeria

The President said the National Shared Services Centre will provide services that are “swift, secure and seamless.’’

While reinforcing the progress made so far, the President listed some of the administration’s achievements that have successfully put Nigeria on the path towards a better and advanced Digital economy.

Among the achievements listed include Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy (2019), the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (2022), which also showed an increase in digital identity enrolments from 39 million in 2020 to about 92 million today; and lastly the Nigeria Startup Act (2022).

Read also: ICT contribution to Nigeria’s GDP drops by 3.09% in Q3 2022

President Buhari emphasizes on Digital economy

President Buhari has praised the digital economy’s role in spurring economic growth, generating jobs, and generating revenue for the nation. He claimed that the auctioning of the 5G spectrum alone brought in $547 million, which has expanded the options for financing development.

 

The President observed that about 80% of Nigeria are covered by the deployed 4G broadband as part of his declaration that the nation is working continuously to provide 5G broadband to all Nigerians.

“As part of our efforts to expand our digital infrastructure, we increased our 4G base stations from 13,823 to 36,751 from August 2019 to date, and this has increased the percentage of 4G coverage across the country from 23 per cent to 77.52 per cent, also from August 2019 to date. We have also followed this up with roll-out of 5G services.”

“It is noteworthy that the digital economy sector has excelled in generating revenue for the government. In particular, at the Ministerial Retreat that I chaired from the 18th to 19th of October 2022, our independent analysts adjudged the digital economy sector to have generated 594 per cent of its revenue target from the 2019 baseline.

This is very commendable. As part of these unprecedented achievements, the sector generated over $547 million from the auctioning of the 5G spectrum alone,” he added.

You would recall that the FG was recently forced to suspend the planned 5% increase on excise duty in the telecoms sector. To that effect, the President stated that the initiative was meant to reduce the hardship faced by Nigerians.

President Buhari commissions Cybersecurity Operation Centre in Abuja
National Shared Service Centre, Abuja

“You will recall that I unveiled and launched the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria on the 28th of November, 2019. I am very proud of the giant strides and the unprecedented progress that we have made in less than one year since the unveiling.

“To ensure that the digital economy sector remains successful and in order to reduce the burden on citizens, I recently approved the suspension of the proposed excise duty in the telecoms sector, as any initiative that will lead to hardship for the citizens would not be pursued,’’ the President said.

TechtvNetwork https://techtvnetwork.ng

TechTV Network is a leading Technology and Business Analysis news and broadcast platform that seeks to explore the interplay between technology, productivity, entertainment and national development in the light of the growing digital economy.

You May Also Like

More From Author

+ There are no comments

Add yours