Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, asserts that the proposed National Digital Economy and e-Governance bill will catalyze investment in the country’s EdTech sector.
Bill’s Progress and Key Provisions
The proposed legislation successfully passed its first reading in the National Assembly on Monday. The bill, championed by Adedeji Olajide, Chairman of the House Committee on Digital and Information Technology, seeks to enhance digital literacy and skill development, a crucial factor in the widespread adoption of EdTech.
Key provisions of the bill include the establishment of a National Digital Skills Register, fostering an environment conducive to digital service exchanges, and promoting digital and capacity-building initiatives for Nigerian youth.
Minister’s Confidence in the Bill’s Potential
“This bill transcends a mere policy,” Minister Tijani emphasized during the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference in Abuja on Tuesday. “Its passage by the National Assembly will empower EdTech startups to create solutions designed for scalability. I will soon be addressing a conference on the significance of the digital economy bill for Nigeria.”
Half of Nigeria’s population currently lacks digital skills. The country has set an ambitious target of achieving 95% digital literacy by 2030, with support from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the country’s tech regulator.
A Landscape of Supportive Policies
If enacted, the Digital Economy Bill will join a growing list of landmark policies aimed at bolstering Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. In October 2022, then-President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Nigeria Startup Act into law. Furthermore, in May 2023, Nigeria adopted a National Blockchain Policy.
Minister’s Call for Collaboration and Local Legislation
The tech minister is a strong advocate for establishing local laws to drive technological innovation in Nigeria.
“We need to move away from the approach where a startup develops solutions for a few schools, hoping it will naturally scale. It doesn’t scale because we aren’t engaging at the level necessary for scalability.”
He urged ecosystem stakeholders to break down silos and collaborate to push for more laws that can fuel the growth of the tech sector.