(UPDATED)

*OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT*
PRESS RELEASE

*FG COLLABORATING WITH INVESTORS TO IMPROVE NIGERIA’S DIGITAL SECTOR, SAYS OSINBAJO*

*VP engages Facebook VP and former UK Deputy PM, Nick Clegg, in fireside chat

*Tech giant announces new office in Lagos, outcome of 2018 VP-led FG delegation's visit to Silicon Valley
 
Just as global Social Media and technology giant, Facebook was informing the Federal Government about its decision to open a Nigerian office in Lagos, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has restated the determination of the Buhari administration to keep boosting the nation's technology sector and digital economy.
 
Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Friday during a fireside chat with Facebook's Vice President on Global Affairs and Communications, former UK Deputy Prime Minister, Sir Nick Clegg. The chat focused on the digital economic pillar of the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan, NESP.
 
Clegg and other Facebook officials, including Ebele Okobi, Facebook’s Head of Public Policy, Africa, had informed the Vice President about the decision to open its second African office in Lagos possibly by the end of this year or next year.
 
It would be recalled that a delegation of the Federal Government led by the VP and including the Communications & Digital Economy Minister, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, had visited Silicon Valley in 2018 and one of the issues on the table then was how such global tech giants like Facebook could have full representation in the country, including a Nigerian office.
 
According to the Vice President during the fireside chat on Friday, the focus of the Nigerian government on the digital sector is crucial in various socio-economic aspect of national life, from education, e-commerce, social investments programmes to the activities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government.
 
He said, “The NESP is our response to the economic crisis caused by the (COVID-19) pandemic. Our focus on the digital sector is really because practically everything we are doing centres around expanding our reach in the digital sector.
 
"For example, financial inclusion is critical for us because we are spreading and extending our social services, payment of cash transfers to the poorest and most vulnerable and other manners of such payment; and sometimes to the farthest flung places in Nigeria. So, we certainly need to expand our reach in order to do so. Of course, technology is critical to that."
 
The VP also noted that the Federal Government is collaborating with the private sector to fund, establish and expand e-learning and education platforms, and other areas of digital technology growth.
 
“Practically everything is now being done remotely. Earlier on today, I did a virtual commissioning of the MSME clinic in Lagos, sitting in my office in Abuja. So, for us, the digital space is very important, which is why the focus was on the digital economy in the Economic Sustainability Plan.
 
“We are led by the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, which is the ministry fully devoted to all of what we do in the digital space. We have NITDA, an agency responsible for Information technology (policy implementation); as well as the private sector.”
 
Recalling the trip to Silicon Valley and Facebook campus in the US in 2018, the VP stated that the tours helped to boost government’s digital drive, while leading to significant improvement in the country’s digital sector.
 
“The tours were extremely successful. In Silicon Valley, Nigerian start-ups got a chance to pitch their products to tech sector investors, that was very good. In fact, before we left Silicon Valley, one of our venture platforms was able to sign a deal worth about $10m with the Nigeria-US Council. Since then, we’ve seen tremendous activity post-trip. The visit helped in showing our seriousness about the technology sector, and also the entertainment industry. We held a few meetings also with the entertainment industry.
 
“As of 2018/19, we’ve gotten about $377m in investments in the tech sector. Although, it still scratches the surface if one considers the size of our economy and country. But there were very significant gains, and I’m very happy to do that. I think we’ve started off a series of interactions that have been very useful and we will continue to engage.”
 
On the issue of regulations to ensure smooth collaboration between government and the private sector, the Vice President stated that the Federal Government will continue to engage with the private sector to boost development of the tech and creative sector.
 
“With regulation, we are dealing with uncharted territory, because quite a few of what we are seeing are entirely new. And I must say that the regulatory authorities have done quite a decent work, trying to grapple with the newness of some of what they are seeing... So, what has happened is that the collaborative efforts of govt and the tech sector, even the entertainment sector, worked on this. We had set up a technology and creativity advisory group; these are young entrepreneurs, innovators etc, who worked with us in the Industrial and Competitiveness Council to craft some of these regulations and to think through some of the problems,” Prof. Osinbajo said.
 
According to him, “we are trying to work with practically everyone who is interested in the Nigerian digital sector. By way of preparation, one of the critical issues for us is improving our broadband infrastructure. We’ve heard the exciting stuff that Facebook is doing, especially by way of subsea cable that is being launched.
 
"But we also have a Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 recently launched by the Hon. Minister of Communication & Digital Economy. There is a presidential committee which has just been inaugurated to work on this. These are broad objectives, and for us, creating that infrastructure is crucial, and we are happy to see the partnerships from Facebook and from some of the other tech companies.”
 
The Vice President further said government is also working to ensure access to credit for innovators.
 
“We’ve talked a bit about foreign investments in innovation in Nigeria, but more importantly, the work that the Bank of Industry is doing. The Bank of Industry has a technology fund. The Central Bank of Nigeria has also recently established a technology fund. Also, we are working with the African Development Bank (AfDB), which has a $500m fund; at the moment we are at the final stages, trying to bring that into existence.
 
"So, there is quite a bit of activity to ensure that there is access to funding, while we are improving the business environment and the environment for technology companies to operate,” he said.
 
On his part, Sir Clegg noted that he was impressed with Nigeria’s broadband goals and what Government is doing to improve the digital sector.
 
He said "Let me say how excited I am, on behalf of the whole of Facebook and all of our teams, of the emerging ambitions that we see in the broadband space in Nigeria, particularly with the Economic Sustainability Plan led by His Excellency, the Vice President. What a huge pleasure for me to hear directly form the Vice President about these ambitions.”
 
At the chat also attended by the Communications and Digital Economy Minister, Facebook announced that it will be opening an office in Lagos, Nigeria. This would be its second office on the African continent as the tech giant officials explained that the opening is part of its continued commitment and ongoing investment in Africa.
 
According to Facebook officials, this is aimed at supporting the entire Sub-Saharan Africa, adding that the office is expected to become fully operational in 2021. The Facebook Nigeria office will be the first on the continent to house a team of expert engineers building for the future of Africa and beyond.
 
According to Facebook, the "office will be home to various teams servicing the continent from across the business, including Sales, Partnerships, Policy, Communications as well as Engineers."
 
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
19th September, 2020

https://leadership.ng/2020/09/20/fg-collaborating-with-investors-to-improve-digital-sector-osinbajo-by-jonathan-nda-isaiah-abuja-just-as-global-social-media-and-technology-giant-facebook-was-informing-the-federal-government/amp/

Even if foreign countries are to invest massively in Nigeria economy it's still useless as far it's under this Buba's administration

Nna eh! No qualms
This is so sophisticated

Hope isn't audio?
(Cos visuality no dey 9ija again)

Make e benefit the poor masses oh

Please if you are the investor,or knows the investor,kindly tell them to stay away from Nigeria government,or desist doing business with with them.Because since i was born i have never ever benefited anything from my government.


If i were world bank,America or China,i will never borrow money to countries that are rich in mineral resources e.g Nigeria,the worst part is that we are the richest in resources,but greed has left us 1 million years behind

G

Another audio collaboration, if you know, you know.

Great

That's good, the digital sector is the most underrated sector in Nigeria. Technology is moving at a fast rate in other countries of the world, but we Nigerians are still acting as if we are in stone age.

Happy Sunday.

Osinbanjo is working.

2023

Mickiebrownkie:
(UPDATED)

https://leadership.ng/2020/09/20/fg-collaborating-with-investors-to-improve-digital-sector-osinbajo-by-jonathan-nda-isaiah-abuja-just-as-global-social-media-and-technology-giant-facebook-was-informing-the-federal-government/amp/

Pastor-pastor

1,001 Ways to Steal

Ok

Oga, may all your plans work out for the country

Nawa

Again? Please stop improving anything. Experience has shown the more you claims improve the more increasing our pain. please let manage it like this till 2023. Again? Please stop improving anything. Experience has shown the more you claims improve the more increasing our pain. please let manage it like this till 2023. Again? Please stop improving anything. Experience has shown the more you claims improve the more increasing our pain. please let manage it like this till 2023.

Osibanjo my nigga

Okay

Since first Tenure this is the language we always hear

Short fake pastor!
Na so so talk u dey talk


By the way, simplyleo has gone into hiding since OBASEKI began disgracing Ize-Thief and ugly oshimhole with votes!

Car Papers

Is bighead9 following the Edo election?
What about simplyseyi?

Sundaypaul12345:
Make e benefit the poor masses oh

In the manner that all their fake promises have benefited the masses since 2015, by pushing more people into extreme poverty

anonimi:
www.nairaland.com/attachments/2236329_fbimg1426964019374_jpegf0426a8233bbbeb8b2d08838e693f36e



www.nairaland.com/attachments/2241285_apc20val_jpegd8974d69b37695e4b5dcc89fbc62a3e2



www.nairaland.com/attachments/3117154_img20151105161420_jpeg007b05bfa49c09b43abe5bc42f0158c1

Get your android 9.0 affordable kids educational android tablets @24k with 4000mah battery
Call or Whatsapp on 070 6180 9819

Is bighead9 following the Edo reelection? What about simplyseyi?

Mickiebrownkie:
(UPDATED)

https://leadership.ng/2020/09/20/fg-collaborating-with-investors-to-improve-digital-sector-osinbajo-by-jonathan-nda-isaiah-abuja-just-as-global-social-media-and-technology-giant-facebook-was-informing-the-federal-government/amp/

The global digital economy will soon have a boost in the Automation and Digitized technology sector. Just what Morpheus.Network does in Supply chain and Logistics. Morpheus.Network is a full service Gobal Automated Supply chain platform with an integrated crypto currency payment system. We need to Optimize, Automate and digitize Nigeria Supply chain and Logistics system has it has been referenced that the Supply chain and Logistics system is a $2 triillion USD business holding back GDP. We need to Optimize our Agriculture sector, Pharmaceutical sector, our petroleum sector and lot more. Check my signature to know more about this great tech start up company that's bringing the benefit of blockchain to Supply chain and Logistics system.

NaijaOlosho:
Since first Tenure this is the language we always hear

That is the language of liars and propagandists, unfortunately believed by the Association of Past/Present Criminals, APC zombies.



www.nairaland.com/attachments/10121845_yb6_jpeg6efc819abc556837c135f3de7c88daa1

Kidnapping in Nigeria exaggerated — Osinbajo
June 25, 2019

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has downplayed the cases of kidnapping in Nigeria, saying they were sometimes exaggerated for political effect.

Mr Osinbajo was addressing Nigerians based in New York on Monday when he was confronted with questions about kidnapping, which is a major part of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

“With respect to general kidnapping which we have seen in parts of the country, again, this is not entirely new. In fact, some of the kidnapping stories you read or listen to are simply not true anywhere, some are fuelled by politics,” Mr Osinbajo was reported as saying by the state-run News Agency of Nigeria.

“There are cases of kidnapping, no question at all about that, but some of the more dramatic stories that you hear are simply not true.

“Every report of kidnapping we receive, we try to verify, and at the end of the day you find out that people just tell all sorts of stories,” the vice-president said.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/336877-kidnapping-in-nigeria-exaggerated-osinbajo.html

anonimi:
www.nairaland.com/attachments/3220187_img11010123498002_jpeg_jpeg62c874903b6f8a5c196c046ea4a90862

Will that also include the digital yahoo sector...

cause we real niggars have taken bombing as a partime job, and it's not paying bad, in the face of severe hardship and unemployment in the country.
and as such should be given a legal status, and a special center for training more real bombers, cause according to the world Bank the industry is what 500 billion dollars, and you know what that could do to the Nigerian economy. just thinking about it!