President Buhari has called on world leaders to come up with
proposals to create a digital world that is accessible, inclusive and safe to
all.
In his keynote speech at the 2019 Annual Investment Meeting
(AIM) in Dubai on Monday, President Buhari said a certain level of regulation
was needed to preserve the integrity of the digital economy. The theme of the
summit is: ‘Mapping the Future of Foreign Direct Investment: Enriching World
Economies through Digital Globalization.’’
Acknowledging that digital globalisation is transforming the
world almost every day with innovations and transformative ideas, the Nigerian
leader cautioned that the cyber world would remain a constant threat if left
unregulated.
The President decried the use of the cyberspace to
manipulate elections, subvert the democratic rights of citizens as well as
propagate violence. He also lamented the steady rise in fake news and
cybercrimes, particularly when platforms are hijacked and manipulated by
criminals.
President Buhari, therefore, called for collective efforts
led by both public and private sector leaders to address the emerging threats
of digital globalisation.
‘‘Today, we have a cyber-world that is intangible but real.
This borderless world is powerful, and it impacts the lives of billions of
people, no matter how remote their physical locations are. People work in it.
People socialise in it. And people invest in it. This presents enormous
opportunities. But it also remains a constant threat if left unregulated.
‘‘On the one hand, it has made the human race more
productive and more efficient. Today, we have digital banking, virtual
currencies and many social platforms that connect people and cultures.
‘‘On the other hand, we have seen platforms hijacked and
manipulated as evidenced by the steady rise in fake news and cybercrimes. More
recently, we are also witnessing the use of the cyberspace to manipulate
elections, subvert the democratic rights of citizens as well as propagate
violence.
‘‘In effect, the digital world has become the new frontier
for both good and evil. Therefore, the challenge for world leaders must be to
ensure that this space is inclusive, accessible and safe,’’ the President told
the ninth edition of AIM, attended by world leaders in both the public and
private sectors.
The President used the occasion to reflect on the digital
revolution in Nigeria, buoyed by impressive statistics on mobile phone
penetration, technology hubs and the advent of young entrepreneurs attracting
investments of over 100 million dollars to the country.
His words: ‘‘In Nigeria, our mobile phone penetration
exceeds eighty per cent. This means the majority of Nigeria’s one hundred and
ninety million citizens are fully connected to this new digital world; especially
our youth.
‘‘Sixty-five per cent or one hundred and seventeen million
Nigerians are under the age of 25 years. These bright minds are the drivers of
this emerging digital sector. Today, Nigeria has close to ninety technology
hubs and every day, new ones are coming up and they are all developing
solutions for Nigerian, and indeed global problems.
‘‘Already, these young entrepreneurs have attracted
investments of over one hundred million dollars. A sizeable amount from
overseas including Silicon Valley. As many of you from this region are aware,
Nigerian start-ups always have a very impressive outing at the Gulf Information
Technology Exhibition (GITEX). Many have won prizes.’’
President Buhari told the investment summit that as leaders
in the public and private sector it was their responsibility to create the
enabling environment for young people to flourish and reach their full
potential.
He shared the Nigerian experience:
‘‘When we came in 2015, we immediately agreed that any
future economic growth must be inclusive. As the Nigerian youth population is
fully digitalised, it is clear that the idea of having an inclusive economy
cannot be achieved without digital inclusion.’’
The President announced that Nigeria was working on creating
the largest digital database in Africa, with over thirty million Nigerians and
legal residents already captured in the country’s digital identity system.
Also, the President highlighted that Nigeria’s public sector
reform programmes, from procurement to payroll to revenue collections, focus on
digitising key operations.
He said the recourse to technology and digitisation
reinforces the administration’s objectives of improving efficiency,
accountability and transparency in governance.
On cybersecurity, President Buhari said Nigeria has taken
the lead in cyber policing in West Africa, working with regional and global
partners.
