By Seun Adams
The Director General (DG) of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami), has added two more feathers to his cap
as he was honoured with the ‘Advancing IT International Trade Award’ and ‘NiRA Presidential Award.’
Hajiya Hadiza Umar, Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations of the agency in a statement made available to SHARPEDGENews Online on Saturday, said, the two events, which were held at different fora in Lagos by the two organisations lauded Dr. Pantami’s contributions to the development of IT sector in Nigeria, describing it as unparalleled.
Umar, said: “The ‘Advancing IT International Award’ which was bestowed on him at the Nigeria Export Summit Awards 2019 held on Wednesday at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island Lagos, according to the organiser, was in recognition of his contributions in encouraging local production and manufacture of Information Technology components in a competitive manner in order to generate foreign earnings, create jobs and provide enabling environment that facilitates private sector’s involvement in the IT sector and attracts Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the economy.
“Similarly, the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the body responsible for the management of the country’s code top level domain (.ng), on Friday conferred Pantami the ‘NiRA Presidential Award.”
The award, according to the Association, was in recognition of his “invaluable contributions” to the growth of the Nigeria’s ICT sector and promotion of the .ng brand and national identity on the Internet.
NITDA, in recent time, has intensified campaign on the adoption of .ng domain name especially among the public institutions. This effort has led to a significant leap of Nigeria’s ranking in cyberspace, Umar, added.
She said the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is a Federal Government Agency established in April 2001 to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy as well as coordinate general IT development and regulation in the country.
Specifically, she explained that Section 6(a, b & c) of the Act mandates NITDA to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria; and render advisory services in all information technology matters to the public and private sectors.