By Seun Adams
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), on Tuesday said it has created Nigeria’s first ICT Protection Forum (CPF)
to address grievances arising from substandard or fake Indigenous IT products and services in a non-litigious manner.
Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi the Director General (DG) of NITDA, represented by Mr. Usman Abdullahi, Director IT Infrastructure Solutions, NITDA at Webinar with the theme: “Virtual Digital Services Consumer Protection Forum”, where a draft framework on alternative dispute resolution for the ICT sector was presented for review.
He said the occasion is very critical to the success of NITDA’s mandate which is aimed at building qualitative indigenous content for consumption in the ICT sector.
The DG stated that the multiple complaints and quality of ICT products and services has lead to the conceptualisation of the consumer forum as well as drafting the alternative dispute resolution in the ICT framework.
He expressed concern that leaving such issues unattended will lead to lack of confidence in local ICT products and services, which in turn will render it unattractive which may, in turn, lead to very low patronage and job losses.
Abdullahi maintained that NITDA’s aim is to protect digital products and services for consumers while also encouraging Nigerians to buy made in Nigeria ICT products.
He, however, noted that during COVID-19 pandemic, NITDA has been playing its role in ensuring that it maximizes opportunities embedded in the challenges posed by the pandemic.
He said the government has taken over the challenges of the information technology sector from a holistic point of view.
In his remark, Mr Olayinka Adejube, Director Standards Guidelines and Frameworks, said the event was partly organised for service consumers and digital service providers to interact on finding ways to improve and deepen the sector.
Adejube, said: “The event is to bring consumers and service providers to interact and see areas where there is need to work together to ensure that the essence of all the investment in digital economy is not wasted.”