Digital Number to Replace National Identity Card as Digital Economy Boosts ICT’s Contribution to GDP, Says Pantami

Digital Economy Boosts ICT’s Contribution to GDP-Pantami
…. Digital Number to Replace National Identity Card

Right from the time the Federal Government (FG) unveiled its digital economy agenda, the performance and contribution of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased, says Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.

Pantami, who is the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, told the Economic Confidential in an interview that in the second quarter of 2020, the contribution of ICT to GDP is 17 percent from 13 percent maximum, last year.

The Minister spoke when he received the Editor-in-Chief of the Economic Confidential, Mr. Yushau A. Shuaib and members of the Editorial Board in his office.

He also said that with the transfer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to his Ministry, the concept of digital number would be prioritized to replace the national identity card.

The Minister disclosed that the broadband penetration has risen significantly from a little above 30% to more than 42 percent within a year, adding that “Any country where the broadband penetration increases by 10 percent, automatically that will increase the GDP of all other sectors by a minimum of 1.6 percent up to 6.8 percent. “So, digital economy indeed is the future, and it is all about prioritizing digital innovation and digital entrepreneurship.”

On the transfer of NIMC to his Ministry, Dr. Pantami said the digital number will henceforth be the national identity that will enable Nigerians to access relevant services offered by government agencies and private institutions.

The Minister said: “The new approach is the digital number, and not the card. The number, which will be in the country’s database will be linked to the person’s identity and will be attached to the person’s passport and Driver’s License among others. So that if a person want to access any kind of service it will be through the digital number, which he or she will provide to the authorities concerned, and they will render the service requested by the person. So, there is no point promoting digital economy and encourage people to be going out with cards. It should be optional.

In his remarks, the Editor-in-Chief of the Economic Confidential commended Dr. Pantami for ICT projects and Digital economic programmes that were accomplished within one year of his tenure as the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy.

Shuaib said: “We are indeed amazed at the tremendous successes recorded in the ICT sector in Nigeria within a year, especially when some sectors in other countries went under due to the challenge of the Coronavirus pandemic.”

Read the full interview here “INTERVIEW: How Digital Economy is boosting Nigeria’s GDP- Dr Isa Pantami”

INTERVIEW: How Digital Economy is boosting Nigeria’s GDP- Dr Isa Pantami

By PRNigeria