Empowered by section 6 of its enabling Act to regulate all information Technology matters within the country and mandated to clear all Information Technology (IT) Projects in line with the policy objectives of the Federal Government towards maximising transparency and accountability in carrying out same by Public Institutions, the Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has given the nod to the collaboration request by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI); seeking to implement the NANONASENI Technology and the NASENI CertVeri System in Nigeria.
The Kashifu Inuwa, DG NITDA, who affirmed the Agency’s readiness to collaborate with NASENI, commended the organisation for coming up with the two innovative solutions.
L-r: Prof. Mohammed Harun, the EVC of NASENI and Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA
“So we are ready to work with you to support you in any way to make sure we achieve this because achieving this initiative to us is like helping us also achieve our mandate. Anything you do to develop IT or strengthen the ecosystem translates to you helping us achieve our objective; So thank you very much”.
While stressing professionalism as the watchword to getting the project underway, Inuwa described the initiatives as timely and called for immediate actions in its implementation.
According to the NITDA Boss, the proposed Special Purpose Vehicle, SPV company, known as NANONASENI and the NASENI CertVeri System, would lead to revenue generation for the country and boost the sector’s contribution to the Nation’s GDP, among other benefits.
He advised NASENI also to consider engaging the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), and other organizations who may have already indicated an interest in the technology as this would speed up the realization and acceptance of the creative works.
“They need to also join in conceptualising the initiative; this is important because we all want all critical stockholders to have a sense of belonging”
The DG, while assuring the team of NITDA’s commitment to supporting the development of the projects, noted that it is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration priority of diversifying the economy and stimulating creativity in Nigerians.
Inuwa lauded the Buhari administration, which he observed has initiated multiple initiatives that have challenged the status-quo and affected socio-economic activities and improved the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.
Speaking earlier, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, the Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, informed the DG that the agency intends to initiate, develop, test, and launch the NASENI CertVeri System, which he believes would allow the Federal Government to offer Nigerians professional and integrated certificate and document verification services simultaneously anywhere, anytime, and whenever needed; particularly embassies across the globe.
Prof. Haruna explained that the system would provide integration between NASENI and selected Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for relevant data sharing.
“The purpose of helping other organizations or institutions verify documents and authenticate them for persons in real-time is because it will deploy IoT to eliminate document faking and enhance credibility and authenticity.”
Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA and the Agency’s Directors in a group photograph with the visiting NASENI team led by Prof. Mohammed Harun, the EVC
While soliciting for collaboration with NITDA, the EVC said the mission is to critically engage on the needed solutions to problems of internet fraud, cybercrimes, terrorism attacks, insecurity, and certificate forgeries; matters he noted have been challenging, not only in Nigeria but nations around the world.
He expressed the hope that the collaboration, as with others to be forged, would be instrumental in implementing the two projects.