Africa Information and Communication Technologies Alliance (AfICTA) and the ICT Professionals’ Association of Namibia (ICT-PAN), under the auspices of the Ministry of ICT, Namibia, says volunteers from Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia and Egypt are important to achieve their objective of creating not less than 1 million ICT jobs across the country by 2020.
According to experts, it is necessary for the ICT stakeholders to leverage opportunities in the rapid growth of ICT industries in these four countries, especially in Nigeria where the ICT sector is seriously being considered by the government as a possible option for diversification of the economy from oil.
Speaking at the recently concluded fourth annual summit by AfICTA, held in Windhoek, Namibia, Paul Rowney, chairperson, ICT Professional Association of Namibia and a member of the AfICTA Board, said the initiative to build this much ICT jobs by 2020 must be embraced by all relevant stakeholders.
“To make this work within the timeline, we are seeking for volunteers from Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia and Egypt in the phase one of the project,” Rowney said, saying the initiative is aimed at developing and promoting Africa to be the number one outsourcing destination in the world.
Adebayo Shittu, Nigeria’s minister of communications, confirmed that Nigeria’s ICT industry was growing impressively as even with the current economic recession.
“ICT is the only sector in the country to have recorded a positive growth in the first quarter of 2016. It is also impressive to know that broadband penetration levels have now reached 20.95 percent, from just 10 percent in under a year, and internet penetration level has increased to 47.44 percent,” Shittu said.
The summit also called on all members and stakeholders to volunteer support for the Global Outsourcing (GO) Africa initiative.
The summit focused on sub-themes that included: The role of ICT in job creation; IoT, Affordability, Connectivity & Scenarios; Youth Development; SDGs & Cybersecurity; Internet Governance for SD – Aligning the Technical, social and political layers together; Sustaining critical infrastructure for IoTs and keeping internet safe, secure and resilient.
In view of and in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), the summit suggested that national ICT policies, laws, regulations and practices should be reviewed for compliance and for inclusive benefits for all citizens.
It was discussed that since the Internet of Things (IoT) presents a new opportunity for job creation in all sectors, concerned stakeholders, particularly governments and the private sector, should evolve IoT strategies that maximise job opportunities for African youths. In this wise, long-term tax holidays should be prioritised for business startups, Rowney said further.
AfICTA’s commitment to the initiative of creating 1 million new ICT jobs by 2020, which was proposed by the Egyptian ICT alliance – EITESAL, is aimed at developing and promoting Africa to be the number one outsourcing destination in the world.
