Tinubu to Meta: Nigeria wants to lead in Africa digital tech

President Bola Tinubu says his administration is sustaining investments in digital technology to enhance the sustainability of small businesses, expand opportunities across sectors, and propel Nigeria to become the lodestar of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Africa.

Tinubu said Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind in this age of technological advancements, stressing that his administration is opening up channels of opportunities in ICT, deepening capacity, and fostering partnerships.

The president said these during a meeting with a delegation from Meta Platforms Incorporated, led by the former UK Deputy Prime Minister and Meta’s President of Global Affairs, Sir Nick Clegg, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, March 21, 2024.

He stressed that Nigerian youths are the most critical asset in Nigeria’s arsenal as it moves to achieve digital economic expansion.

Tinubu said: “For us in Nigeria, we have a vibrant, gifted and resourceful youth population. Recognising that the future is most likely to be AI-enabled, we have to prepare our youths and make them ready to compete and participate in the global economy.

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“I can assure you that Nigeria is open for business. We want to lead the African continent in digital technology. Data is valuable to our development. We are ready to cooperate on technological advancements. It is the only way to go. We need a collaboration that will be a win-win for all.”

Emphasising the importance of technology in driving small businesses, President Tinubu said he is committed to ensuring that technology is deployed, adapted, enhanced, and used to catalyse growth across a vast majority of micro-businesses, spurring mass prosperity down the line.

“What interests me is the use of technology in the development of small businesses. We need to make the business environment more conducive for you and more profitable for us as well. I hope we can collaborate and continue to promote our mutual interests,” he added.

On his part, Clegg said Meta will introduce in June 2024 a feature on its Instagram app that will allow Nigerian creators to monetise their content to enable them to earn a living using the app.

“We have a lot to do with Nigeria to deepen partnerships,” he added.

Also speaking, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said Meta platforms are critical platforms in Nigeria, adding that such opportunities for partnerships and engagement are essential to promoting development in the digital economy sector.

The Star