Benjamin Babine, Abuja
In an effort to bring the Digital Service Industry to the forefront of economic diversification, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has presented its draft on National Outsourcing Strategy for Nigeria (NOSN).
The Agency presented this on Thursday during an online engagement workshop with relevant stakeholders. The Director-General of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa, said the workshop was aimed at ensuring the effective implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) of the Federal Government.
Kashifu said that the strategy was in line with government’s initiative and priority projects such as the Economic Recovery Growth Plan and digitization of government services. He further explained that the strategy will lift Nigerians out of poverty and transform the country to a knowledge-based economy.
The DG disclosed that the strategy implementation processes focused on seven pillars, which included the development of infrastructure, skill, human capital, branding, promotion, digital finance, and incentives. He said others were innovation and entrepreneurship, trust, privacy, and security, as well as multi-stakeholder governance engagement.
He said: “With the recent government initiative to make Nigeria a leading digital economy coupled with the government promise to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty NITDA under the supervision of Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has refocused its effort to the implementation of the National Digital Economy Strategy.
“We have our competitive edge in the market, but to create and capture value in the global market we need to own this strategy and make it easier to implement by all,” he said.
‘‘In 2019, Grand View Research had valued the global business process outsourcing market size at 221.5 billion USD and at a compound annual growth rate of eight percent from 2020 to 2027.
‘‘Outsourcing market, due to COVID-19 had forced organizations to cut cost by leveraging on the benefits of outsourcing for some business processes and focus on core competencies. Business process outsourcing offers services such as administration, supply chain management, sales, paralegal, marketing, and customer care services.
“Players in the business compete by providing reliable and cost-effective services across industries and sectors such as government, healthcare, manufacturing, IT, and telecommunications. NITDA embarks on this journey to accelerate digital economy and transformation targeted at creating over a million jobs in Nigeria by 2025,” he said.
He, however, urged stakeholders to join hands with NITDA to make Nigeria a better place and a force to reckon with in the global business outsourcing market.
While elaborating on the expectations of the strategy, the Deputy Director, e-Government Development and Regulations Department of the agency, Mr. Ben Ewah, said it was designed as a response to COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, the strategy would target the onshore and offshore outsourcing markets and promote local, foreign direct investments in digital outsourcing infrastructure development.
“The outsourcing strategy will develop an export-oriented digital product and service industry with improved funding of Research and Development.
“It will develop a globally competitive Information Technology Enabled Services sector in Nigeria toward making the country a digital outsourcing hub globally,” he added.