THE Chairman of the Zinox Group, Mr Leo Stan Ekeh said that Nigeria has the capacity to earn $150 billion yearly from Information and Communication Technology if commitment is given to it like as it is done to the oil and gas sector.
He said that he is very optimistic that only ICT can salvage the ailing economy of Nigeria saying that he had in the last 20 years been urging the Federal Government to shift its effort to that sector of the economy.
Ekeh, a serial digital entrepreneur told journalist in an interview in Lagos that “If past administrations invested heavily in this sector, the ICT sector would be earning more revenue than oil with solid hopes of prosperity for the majority, mostly for those from poor homes who have the brain power.”
According to him, global statistics have shown credible trend in countries resolving their employment challenges through structured investment in the ICT sector noting that the devices, software, solution and e-commerce sector could employ well over 45 million Nigerians with solid future.
While lamenting the neglect of the potentials impact of the ICT sector on the economy, he said, “Is it that our leaders and their advisers are too blind to see future measureable wealth? I am not sure what we are still waiting for to save this nation.”
He added: “Is it not a shame we are all waiting for oil prices to move up for the nation to survive? We are ignoring what we have control of and putting all our hopes on nature in this 21st century.”
Ekeh whose son founded Yudala, the online shopping that made a mark last year using drone to deliver items to buyers, revealed that the shocks and gaps in the economy at the moment represent current realities that the nation must find creative ways to navigate.
“In this 21st century, no one has a business being poor, especially considering the proliferation of Information and Communication Technology tools and the internet which has put the world at everyone’s finger-tips. Today, you no longer have to physically leave your environment to gain access to formal education”, he said.
The Zinox chairman said that to take Nigeria to the level of development the country must urgently build a knowledge economy saying that with a computer and access to the Internet, a variety of degrees can be acquired at your convenience.
“Many years ago, I had realised that the power to liberate millions of our youths lay in the internet and associated technologies hence, the decision behind our “Computerise Nigeria” project, which we launched in 2001”, he recalled.
According to him, the idea is to provide affordable access to ICT tools and processes which, among other things, promoted the digital retooling of individuals, institutions and corporate entities as well as the launch of the first computer ownership scheme in Nigeria.
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