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Nigeria’s Digital Economy Gets a Boost with High ITU Readiness Ranking

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has released a report ranking Nigeria high in digital transformation readiness.

The report, titled “Collaborative Regulation: Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Transformation,” evaluates Nigeria’s legal, policy, and governance frameworks towards achieving an advanced state of readiness for digital transformation.

Nigeria scored 71% in the report, placing it among Africa’s top seven countries in the BEMECS 5G Readiness Index. This index measures a country’s readiness to deploy and adopt mass-market 5G networks.
The report was conducted by the ITU, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and unveiled by Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani in Abuja on Monday.

The report highlights Nigeria’s strengths in regulatory capacity, market rules, collaborative governance, and legal instruments for ICT/telecom markets.

However, it also identifies areas for improvement, such as national digital agenda policy and digital development toolbox.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, commended the ITU and partner agencies for the report and expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to utilizing it as a navigational aid towards achieving regulatory objectives and policies.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, emphasized the importance of collaborative regulation in supporting Nigeria’s transition towards effective digital governance, evidence-based policy making, and agile regulation in the digital economy.

The report can be accessed through the ITU website, providing valuable insights for stakeholders in the digital economy.

Key takeaways from the report include:

– Nigeria’s high ranking in digital transformation readiness, with a score of 71%

– Strengths in regulatory capacity, market rules, collaborative governance, and legal instruments for ICT/telecom markets
– Areas for improvement, such as national digital agenda policy and digital development toolbox

– Emphasis on collaborative regulation to support Nigeria’s transition towards effective digital governance and agile regulation

– Commitment from the Federal Government to utilize the report as a navigational aid towards achieving regulatory objectives and policies.

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