The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has unveiled the second phase of the Nigerian e-Government Master Plan, towards ensuring a seamless and inclusive access to digital services with the aim of enhancing transparency in government processes.

The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE made this known at the handing over of deliverables to CEOs of NITDA, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday which was held at the e-Government Training Centre, Kubwa, Abuja.

The event symbolises the implementation of the first phase of the Nigerian e-Government master plan, which was sponsored by the joint implementer, the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Inuwa, who was represented by Mr Oladejo Olawumi, Director I T Infrastructure Solutions in the agency, said that the aim of the event was to strengthen the progress made so far and properly position the general government enterprise architecture as a cornerstone of building the foundation for digital governance in Nigeria.

The DG said under the Strategic Road map and Action Plan, which was named SRAP 2.0, the pillar of infrastructure in the project was committed to ensure seamless and inclusive access to digital services.

“The enterprise architecture is a disciplined way of organising enterprise resources, which includes business processes, data, information, tech, finance, ETC, to provide the capabilities required to consistently achieve outcomes of the organisation’s functions and mandates.

“It specifies the principles, practices, standards, and policies that guide the way capabilities enable the IT to evolve over time and continue to deliver results even under continuous changes in political, administrative, and economic conditions.

“It is therefore in line with this administration’s commitment to ensuring the implementation of sustainable initiatives and programmes that will stimulate and rejuvenate the economy.

“Federal Ministry of Communications
Innovation and digital economy’s strategic plan of driving towards a resilient, inclusive and prosperous digital Nigeria by utilising ICT to drive transparency in government as well as improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of public service delivery in Nigeria,” Inuwa explained.

He also noted that NITDA, in line with its mandate had developed the Nigerian Government Enterprise Architecture as part of the implementation of the first phase of the Nigerian e-government master plan.

“The framework launched in March 2019 was developed as an overarching document to guide the effective and efficient adoption and implementation of IT projects in government so that expectations and outcomes of IT projects can be achieved in the short and long term.

“The implementation has led to the development of programmes and initiatives which include the clearing of many IT projects, improvement of the national IT clearance policy drive, IT systems anddigital services assessment of 200 federal and public institutions, the Nigerian Government Enterprise Architecture portal, establishment of digital transformation technical working group DTTWG in 100 federal and public institutions, training of 442 members of the DTTWG and engagement of 10 FPIs under digital transformation performance and readiness,” he added.

He asserted that the Nigerian Government Enterprise Architecture is a critical factor in the implementation of the following e-government related regulatory instruments.

The Director General further explained that the Nigerian e-government interoperability framework was designed to enable interoperability between all the services provided by the government.
Stressing that the Digital Public infrastructure (DPI) as it were is key to the present administration’s drive towards making government services to be integrated among themselves.

He listed the national cloud computing policy and strategy; business process management guidelines,electronic document management system guidelines of FPIs, government digital service framework and digital government transformation performance assessment tool kit, among other core elements of the project.

Mr Songil Son, the Korean International Corporation Agency’s (KOICA’s) country Director,stated that ‘the project has four components,and the Enterprise Architecture is one of the components.

“NITDA is coordinating the whole process and so much progress has been made so far by properly positioning the overall government enterprises architecture as a cornerstone of building the foundation for digital governance in Nigeria’.

Earlier, representatives of Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service took turns to express their optimism that the values outlined in the guide would ease the perfection of digital governance and foster inclusiveness, transparency and progress in the country.

They gave assurances that the services would be committed to leveraging the framework of the project as a catalyst for achieving the Nigeria’s strategic aspirations.

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TECHDIGEST – As part of the implementation of the second phase of the National e-Government Master Plan (NeGMP) the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with the Republic of Korea, through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Office in Nigeria, has commenced the implementation of one of the main component of the second phase which is the development of the Enterprise Architecture (EA) Framework for Nigeria.

The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, who was represented by the Acting Director, Digital Economy, Engr Salisu Kaka said that the EA is one of the components of the second phase of the NeGPM implementation. The quadruple of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS); National Identification Management Commission (NIMC); Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, were approved by the Honorable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy (FMoCDE), Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) to be used for the pilot implementation of the EA project. 

He stated that the EA Framework is aimed at helping the Federal Government through its Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to seamlessly navigate the digital transformation journey and prepare the country for the future of the digital economy.

The pilot implementation process is starting with a one-week training for the four selected MDAs which will run from Monday 17th to Friday 21st October 2022. Other implementation activities will continue after the training. 

READ ALSO: Buhari Confers ‘Digital Innovation Award’ on Pantami

Inuwa mentioned that the EA implementation is going to cover all MDAs in the long run. He said the four MDAs used for the pilot are to be the pace setters and will be used to bench-mark the implementation process for the rest of the MDAs.

Prof Park Byeong, Korean EA expert and Nigerian EA project lead, during a presentation at the training said; “EA defines business and Information Technology (IT) blueprint and architecture in each different view using abstraction.”

He explained that the EA concept was started in 1987 by John Zachman who raised a need to express a conceptual framework for the integration and linkage of information systems and named it Architecture Framework. 

He further explained that the evolution of the EA which was initially Information System Architecture (ISA) in 1987, presented a solution to the increasing complexity of information systems. In 1992, it became Information Technology Architecture (ITA) which was used as a tool for the systematic management of IT in the 1990s, and then, in 2000, it became EA which was extended to include the whole enterprise as a focus area.

The 5 day training took place at the e-Government Training Centre (eGTC), Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), Kubwa, Abuja

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TECH DIGEST: The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMoCDE) has commenced the second phase of implementation of the National e-Government Master Plan (NeGMP).

But this in collaboration with the Republic of Korea, through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Office in Nigeria, Tech Digest learnt.

READALSO: NITDA’s High Profile ‘Digital Nigeria’ Conference and Expo Holds Next Week

One of the main components of the second phase is the development of the Enterprise Architecture (EA) Framework for the country which NITDA has been directed to champion.

The post Communications Ministry Begins 2nd Phase of NeGMP Implementation appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, PhD., the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy on Friday 13th August 2021, in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, commissioned seven more projects across the country.

The projects commissioned are in furtherance of the Federal Government’s resolve to leverage on technology in empowering the nation.

This brings the number of projects established under the leadership of Dr Pantami to over one thousand, six hundred and sixty seven (1,667) across all geo-political zones in the country with sixteen (16) policies in place to support the digital economy drives.

Speaking at the hybrid event, the Minister noted that the sector has witnessed unprecedented growth both infrastructurally and policy  wise within two years of his assuming office.

“When we came on board in August of 2019, the ministry had only one valid policy which was sponsored by the Korean Integration and Cooperation Agency, KOICA. But within the time we have been in office, we have developed sixteen national policies and established over one thousand six hundred and sixty seven digital economy centres. Of the sixteen policies we have developed, twelve are already being implemented while four are awaiting approval from the Federal Executive Council”, he said.

The projects numbering seven, under batch 11 of completed digital economy infrastructure include;

• Emergency Communication Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State [North Central];
• School Knowledge Centre, Sanda Kyarimi Day Secondary School, Borno State (North East);
• Digital Economy Centre & E- Learning Facilities, Imam Malik Academy, Sokoto State [North West];
• Digital Economy Centre, E- Learning Facilities, Nneato Secondary School, Abia State [South East];
• Digital Economy Centre, E- Learning University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State [South South];

Digital Economy Centre, E- Learning Eleyele Secondary School, Oyo State [South West]; and

Tertiary Institution Knowledge Centre, Gombe State College of Education, Gombe (North East)

“The Tertiary Institutions Knowledge Centre (TIKC) was deployed by the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).

This project includes bandwidth connectivity and the installation of ICT devices and peripherals.

The TIKC project also doubles as an ICT centre for students to acquire and improve their ICT skills. It will promote the use of ICT in teaching and learning at tertiary institutions and their immediate communities”, Pantami explained.

The minister further said enumerated some of the benefits of the project as;

“It will enable lecturers, staff and students to obtain the requisite ICT skills essential for digital economy ecosystem;

“It will bridge the digital information knowledge gap, especially among the teeming youthful population of Nigeria; t will provide personalised learning; enhance research; it will improve student-teacher engagement; and it will provide access to remote learning resources.

Speaking specifically on the ECC project being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) across the country, the Minister said, the projects are major boosts that will offer universal, toll-free emergency telephone access for members of the public in times of distress/emergency; and a one-stop shop for receiving distress calls from the public and dispatching same to appropriate Response Agencies (Police, FRSC, Fire Service, Ambulance Service, etc).

“Our goal is to have at least one Emergency Communication Centre in each state of the federation including FCT. This will ensure that there is an effective emergency response to cater to the needs of our citizens.

In reference to the four (4) Digital Economy Centres (DEC) and E-Learning Facilities which were deployed by NITDA as part of its mandate to ensure that the Federal Government continues to provide support for institutions to facilitate learning, Pantami, explained that the facilities are solar powered, equipped with computers, Internet access and tools aimed at enhancing skills development, bridging the digital divide and promoting innovative digital solutions that will address challenges facing the country.

“It is well known that the Digital Economy is a core driver of innovation, competitiveness and economic growth. However, no nation can build a digital economy without a constant pool of highly qualified creative talent, as the Digital economy is knowledge-based and is characterized by dependence on a highly-skilled, and technology-inclined citizens.

Therefore, fostering and supporting the capacities of Nigerians is a fundamental backbone of our digital economy strategy. This is why NDEPS has a Pillar dedicated to Digital Literacy and Skills.

Furthermore, Knowledge Institutions play a critical role in the development of the Digital Economy.

They serve as centres for generation and impartation of new knowledge to citizens.

These institutions not only equip individuals with relevant knowledge and skills, but also provide a bustling environment that stimulates innovation thereby enabling them contribute meaningfully in the socio- economic development of their society”, the Minister emphasised.

According to the World Bank, digital technologies are forecast to be a major driver of productivity, with successful economies depending on greater numbers of digitally skilled workers than has previously been the case.

For example, a digital single market in Europe is expected to increase the region’s annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by €415 billion and will increase the need for a new set of digital skills by 12% in 2024.

“It is recognition of the need to empower our citizens with the requisite knowledge to thrive in the digital economy that we are deploying projects such as the ones launched today.

Pantami also encouraged all the host communities of these interventions provided by the Federal Government of Nigeria through NITDA and NCC to ensure that they take full advantage of the facilities for the benefit of their communities.

Recall that under the leadership of Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), every state of the federation is a beneficiary of the digital economy projects.

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