By Kingsley I. Ilechukwu, Bureau Chief, South West

As the newly appointed Ministers settle to their jobs, journalists in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, under the aegis of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), has felicitated with the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital EconomyFMoCIDE), Dr. BosunTijani on his appointment.

In a letter to the Minister, the Chairman of the Association, ChikeOnwuegbuchi noted that the news of his appointment was a cheery one knowing his antecedents to deliver viable results in past endeavours.

It reads in part: “We have followed your steps in the ICT industry and are assured that without doubt, this is another position that you will make a great deal of impact in.

You are not new in creative, developmental and managerial affairs, but have been an active participant in decision-making and growth plans for the nation, hence our repose of trust in what you can do as the Minister of this expanded Ministry.”

In the  letter, Mr. Onwuegbuchi further assured the Minister that NITRA was willing to work with the Ministry to ensure the achievement of set goals, adding NITRA was on standby for any collaboration that would guarantee the success of Dr. Tijani’s as the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy .

“We hope to work together to develop the industry and make the Ministry a reference point in the minds of Nigerians both at home and abroad,” he concluded.

The expectation, especially from the perspective of NITRA  is that the Minister will maintain the upward trajectory of ICTs’ contributions to the GDP and focus on leveraging ICT to transform Nigeria into a full digital economy.

Nigeria’s ICT sector contributed a significant 17.47 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP (Real Gross Domestic Product) in the first quarter of 2023. This is according to the latest statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to the NBS report, this amounts to about N3.1 trillion of the total N17.75 trillion of the country’s real GDP in the quarter. This is a notable increase in the ICT sector’s GDP contribution, surpassing the figures for the first quarter of 2022 which stood at N2.86 trillion.

The sector contributed 13.23 per cent to the total nominal GDP in Q1 2023, surpassing the rates recorded in both the same quarter of the previous year (10.55%) and the preceding quarter (10.42%). This nominal growth represents a substantial increase of 41.84% during the quarter, marking a 21.30 per cent point rise compared to the corresponding period of 2022.

The Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) is the umbrella body for ICT reporters and editors. Its membership is drawn from Print, Broadcast and Online media organisations, and spreads across the country. With its Quarterly and Annual events, which include ‘Breakfast With CEOs’; ‘NITRA Innovative Forum’; ‘NITRA Technology Forum’, among others, the Association has been able to drive conversations on the development of the ICT subsectors and the industry as a whole.