CPN to Tackle Tech Innovation Challenges in 2023 IT Assembly

Emma Okonji

Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria, (CPN), the government agency responsible for the regulation, control and supervision of the computing profession and practice in Nigeria, is set to address the challenges associated with technology innovation in Nigeria, with a view to presenting Information Technology (IT) roadmap to the in-coming administration.

President of CPN, Mr. Kole Jagun, while addressing the media at a virtual press conference on Tuesday, said the issues would be addressed at the next IT Assembly scheduled to hold next week in Abuja, where the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, will deliver the keynote paper. 

Speaking on the theme of the 2023 IT Assembly, tagged: ‘e-Government for Transparency, Accountability and Good Governance’, Jagun said the in-coming government would need functional e-governance to drive technology innovation that will foster the growth of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which according to him, serves as a catalyst to effective and efficient service delivery, quick response, accountability and transparency in governance.

“Greater use of information and communications technology and e-government will increase government transparency, accountability and good governance. This, in turn, may invite citizen participation, foster e-governance, and help nurture our nascent democracy. The realisation of sustainable development cannot be possible without good governance,” Jagun said. 

Drawing on the global, regional, and national experiences, the 2023 IT Professionals’ Assembly will highlight the opportunities and challenges of building more innovations that can drive the economy of our nation. We envisaged that in the years to come, Nigeria shall be a nation that has fully leveraged on, and harnessed the potential e-Governance for transparency, accountability, and good governance for the benefit of her economy and uplift the people, Jagun further said.

Vice President of CPN, Dr. Eyo Essien, said CPN would be working with other government agencies like the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in setting agenda and IT roadmap for the in-coming government.

CPN Registrar, Muhammad Bello Aliyu, said CPN had always been proactive in engaging with industry stakeholders to support government initiatives on ICT development. He said CPN had moved from the engagement stage to implementation stage in order to achieve its mandate of regulating and promoting IT practices in Nigeria.  

Addressing the issue of mass movement of Nigerians to other countries in search of better living condition, Jagun said transparency and functional e-government would address such mass movement, adding that it is for this reason that the 2023 IT Professionals’ Assembly considered the theme: ‘e-Government for Transparency, Accountability and Good Governance’.