By Dwelleth Morountodun
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Communication Satellite limited (NIGCOMSAT), Ms Abimbola Alale, the Chairman,
Nigeria Computer Society, Abuja Chapter, Mr. Ayodeji Rex Abitogun and the President in Council of the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Prof. Charles Uwadia, have said the lack of qualitative and validated data constitute a big challenge to implementation of MDAs’ programmes and projects.
Speaking at its 2nd annual workshop dinner and award night to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of NCS, organized by the Abuja Chapter on Tuesday, Alale, who was represented by Mr. Mohammed Jiya, a Senior Manager in the Satellite company acknowledged that most of the data being deployed across sectors of the economy are based on approximation and presumption.
She said: “Most of the data being use for most of this development planning are not realistic because they are based on estimation which is a major challenge for government to plan for its unemployment youths, health and security challenges.
What government needs to do according to, to massively invest in data value chain because of its relevance to national development, explaining that with NIGCOMSAT 1R, remote and unreached areas can be reached via satellite to make connectivity available for data collection.
Citing the recent investment by Google in Nigeria, she said developed countries and their private sectors are investing more in data because of the large profits from the return on investment on data infrastructure., adding that global investment in data according to research was $2.8 trillion between 2005 and 2014.
While calling for more funding for NIGCOMSAT, the MD, said the country needs data to plan accurately, as effective of use of data will enhance economic competitiveness, growth and high productivity across all sectors like health, electricity and population.
She however bemoan the absence of connectivity especially in rural communities, lack of uniform standard of reporting by MDAs and regulatory agencies at the different levels of governance as being a big challenge to data acquisition.
In his opening remark, Abitogun, acknowledged that MDAs and the private sector are faced with the challenge of not only collecting data, but analyzing their behavior for good decision making.
According to him, creating value from available data for economic growth requires a focused and practical mindset that can be used to evaluate the entire value chain, using the right tools, monitoring behaviour, preserving and securing data.
He averred that if Nigeria must move from building traditional cities to smart cities, the approach to data collection must change, stressing: Smart cities are built on big data which is an enabler of Artificial Intelligence (AI), wondering if the stakeholders the right data and what they are doing with the data, if they are right.
The President of the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), Prof. Charles Uwadia, said the Information Technology (IT) practitioner must be ready to embrace all other professions because it is an all comer’s affairs and therefore should be embraced by all as ICT is no longer a closed shop profession.
He disclosed that the headquarters of the Council will be moving to Abuja to take advantage of the opportunities of being close to governance as Abuja remains the seat of government.
He said: “We want to ensure that IT takes it pride of place in the country as many MDAs are not aware of the existence of CPS. There is so much work that needs to be done. All the chapters should insulate politics from their mainstream activities as professionalism should be raised further.”