Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, has expressed his delight after the National Bureau of Statistics disclosed the ICT sector’s 17.83 per cent contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2020 (Q2 2020).
The NBS released Nigeria’s GDP report for Q2 2020 today, the 24th of August, 2020. While altogether, the nation’s GDP recorded a decrease of -6.10 per cent (year-on-year), the ICT sector recorded 20.54 per cent higher than its contribution a year earlier, and higher that its contribution in the preceding quarter, which was 14.07 per cent.
Pantami, in a statement signed by his Technical Assistant on Information Technology, Dr Femi Adeluyi, said the contribution is unprecedented and is a direct result of the focused and committed effort of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He noted this has been achieved through the strategic policy directions of the Federal Government including the inclusion of Digital Economy in the mandate of the Ministry, the unveiling and implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy and the National Broadband Plan, amongst others. He said: “As at July 2020, the broadband penetration in the country was 42.02 per cent, translating to a percentage increase of almost double digits in less than 1 year. This is another remarkable achievement that can also be attributed to dynamic and results-oriented leadership.