Ozioma Ubabukoh
The Acting Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, has asked for the support of Nigerians in the United Arab Emirates towards the country’s successful participation in this year’s Gulf Information Technology Exhibition week holding in October at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
At a recent interactive session organised by the Nigerian foreign mission in the UAE, through its Consulate in Dubai, Olatunji said that the NITDA would use the GITEX week to promote opportunities in non-oil sectors.
He also said that the agency would use the event to lay emphasis on how the government was committed to supporting foreign and local entrepreneurships, particularly in the Information and Communications Technology sector.
“All these levels of participation are designed to ensure maximum exposure to ICT and other non-oil sectors which is a cardinal economic goal of the current government under President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Dubai has become an international hub for business engagements. The NITDA has already opened talks with several business prospects through the support of the DWTC and the Consular Office here in Dubai,” the NITDA boss said.
Olatunji said there was the need for Nigerians to close ranks and promote the country as a strong, attractive economic brand.
He said, “Since Nigeria started participating in GITEX, this is the first time we would be interacting with Nigerians and the Nigerian business community here to seek your direct support and assure you of the willingness of the NITDA as well as sister agencies to work with you and enhance the value of the country’s GDP through non-oil enterprises.
“ICT now pervades every other sector and singularly accounts for nearly half of the economic might of most frontline countries including Dubai in the UAE.”
He added, “Nigeria cannot afford to be different. We come with the mandate of the government therefore to discuss with you and ask you to use the GITEX platform with us to mobilise positive attention and interest in Nigeria’s ICT sector.
“We will be promoting local IT start-ups and sharing with the world the potential that exists. We would also be here with older IT companies who are already doing well and are ready to expand to the world. We need investors.”
The Acting Nigerian Consul General, UAE, Babagana Wakil, stated that the foreign mission in Dubai would mobilise Nigerian business communities and offshore business ventures interested in Nigeria to come and leverage on Nigeria’s presence at GITEX to have direct interaction with the country’s officials over business opportunities in Nigeria.
“I am glad you are here to engage fellow Nigerians who are successfully managing different enterprises in the UAE. Your presence is affirming our position here that government is not far away from every Nigerian.
“This meeting also serves to encourage Nigerians here to do more for their country and to assure them that the mission’s doors are open to assist them in meeting these goals,” Wakil said.
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