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By Adewale Sanyaolu
The Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. Tijani Bosun, has said despite the progress recorded by the country in the Information Technology (IT) space, Nigeria still ranks second to the last in the Economic Complexity Index(ECI) for Technology Index
The Minister stated this at the Nordic Nigeria Connect (NNC) 2023 with the theme ‘‘Innovation for a Greener Future’’ in Lagos yesterday.
Bosun said Sweden one of the Nordic countries ranks number 1 in the ECI for Technology Index while others which included Norway, Finland and Denmark are all within the top 20 leading countries in ECI.
He said the next phase for technology in Nigeria would be the improvement of the country in its ECI ranking using design element in order to meet the real needs of our people.
Bosun said the next question would be to ask what are the Nordic countries doing to be among the top 20 leading countries in ECI.
The Minister said businesses coming into Nigeria must be ready to embrace innovation because the Nigerian market is the second largest in Africa as there are opportunities to be tapped by forward looking entreeprenuers .
He said for any business willing to try new and emerging market, there is no other place than Nigeria because, it has the numbers alongside a vibrant youth segment that is are technologically savvy.
‘‘As a rapidly growing economy, with the ICT sector contributing 18.44 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP in Q2 2022, and e-commerce spending projected to grow to $75 billion by 2025 (Statista), our primary goal is to enhance Nigeria’s participation in the global technology trade over the next 4 years. A core part of this pillar is our aim to improve Nigeria’s ranking in the ECI (Economic Complexity Index) Technology Index” .
The 2023 edition of the Nordic-Nigeria Connect – with the sub-title Innovation for a Greener Future –
is discussing exportable Nordic sustainable solutions and innovations in Lagos, Nigeria.
Participants include not only Government Representatives from the Nordics and Nigeria, but also private and public business leaders, the diplomatic corps, media, and investors. They represent various
industries in the Nordics and Nigeria, such as green energy, ICT and digitalisation, circular economy,
waste management, public transport, and agribusiness.
The combined export from the Nordics to Nigeria in 2022 was at $1.32 billion. In 2022, the
Nordics imported from Nigeria to a combined value of almost $1.72 billion.
According to the organisers these figures have a great potential of increasing.
The Nordics offer innovative solutions on some of the most pressing issues of today while the
organisers are proud to showcase Nordic solutions on global problems and hope that Nordic-Nigeria Connect can serve as a platform for new partnerships for innovation and a greener future.
The Nordic Embassies (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) supported by the Nordic Council of
Ministers, Business Finland, and Business Sweden joined forces in creating the largest Nordic collaboration on the African continent to leverage the Nordic brand in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy: Nordic-Nigeria Connect.
Year after year, the Nordic countries continue to top the lists of the most innovative, the most
environmentally friendly, the most gender equal, the most democratic, and the happiest countries in
the World as reflected not only in their societies but also in its exports.
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