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From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
Stakeholders in Kogi State have expressed their willingness to support and approve the National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, urging the National Assembly to pass it into law. They emphasised that the bill, if enacted, will create job opportunities for Nigerians and facilitate ease of doing business in both the public and private sectors.
The stakeholders’ meeting, held in Lokoja, the state capital, was part of an ongoing nationwide consultation exercise on the draft National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy.
The one-day stakeholder engagement programme, organised by the Federal Ministry in collaboration with the Kogi State Ministry of Information and Communications, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project, highlighted the importance of technology and innovation in enhancing national productivity.
In his presentation on the objectives, scope, and application of the bill, Chukwudi Chimezie of Duola Ovia and Alex Adedipe Chambers explained that if passed, the bill will significantly boost Nigeria’s socioeconomic activities, enhance good governance, and enable quick service delivery in both public and private sectors.
Chimezie noted that the essence of the stakeholder engagement was to gather citizens’ input on the bill, as it will directly impact them. He outlined the bill’s potential benefits, including promoting the use of digital technology to grow Nigeria’s economy, providing a legal framework to support international digital trade and investments, and improving service delivery, openness, and accountability in public services.
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Stakeholders at the engagement pledged their support but raised concerns about challenges that could hinder the effective implementation of the legislation.
They unanimously agreed that while the bill offers many benefits—such as improved service delivery, transparency, accountability, and interagency collaboration—it also poses challenges. Participants highlighted issues such as the potential for job losses, insincerity of purpose, high levels of digital illiteracy, lack of infrastructure, limited accessibility, and risks to privacy. They stressed the need for practical solutions to address these concerns.
Further concerns raised by stakeholders included the high cost of implementation, network unavailability in some areas, and frequent network failures, which they said could frustrate the process if not adequately addressed.
They called on governments at all levels, non-governmental organisations, civil society groups, and well-meaning individuals to organise short-term training programmes on information and communication technologies (ICTs) and workshops to educate the public on the bill’s essence and its numerous benefits.
The Permanent Secretary of the Kogi State Ministry of Information and Communications, Mr. Ebenezer Adurodija, urged the people of the state to embrace the digital age, noting that it would significantly uplift their living standards.
Adurodija emphasised that stakeholders must take advantage of the consultation process to make meaningful contributions that will shape and enhance the legislation’s operations. He added that for the legislation to have a lasting impact, people must take ownership of the process and ensure that all necessary provisions are incorporated for the benefit of all.
