Minister canvasses research grant for digital solution

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami, has directed agencies under him to make available research grants for development of digital solutions to COVID 19 and innovative ideas in the post COVID 19 era.

He said this has become necessary considering the likely impact of the xoronavirus pandemic on the nation’s economy in the post COVID 19 era.

He stressed the pandemic has provided an opportunity for young innovators to place Nigeria on the path to digital economic development.

Pantami made the remarks during the virtual final demo and prize giving day of the Nigeria COVID 19 Innovation Challenge organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Out of about 150 participants home and abroad, Algorizmi, an innovation start up meant to provide clinical support to medical personnel and patients, came first in the competition winning a prize of N1m.

Smart Chamber came second and won N750,000 while Myclinic.ng came third, bagging N500,000.

Pantami said ICT innovation was a perfect tool to ensure physical distancing and contact tracing of COVID 19 patients, stating the present administration was determined to leverage digital platforms and opportunities for the betterment of the economy in the post COVID era.

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The Director General of NITDA, Malam Inuwa Abdullahi, said the Nigeria Covid-19 innovation challenge was initiated and conceptualised to open opportunities for innovators under lockdown.

He added that it had provided “a sense of stability for us to work virtually while our world has been under lockdown.”

Abdullahi said: “We are prioritising digital solution because that is the only thing working during this pandemic.

“And the pandemic is accelerating technology trends shaping the future of digital world and digital economy in general.

“Imagine being in this crisis without digital technology. Our life would have been miserable, therefore our recovery and exit strategy should be based on what is working now.

“As a nation we can have all the technologies and talent but to extract value we need clear objectives and mechanism.

“Our broader objective is fast recovery to normal and our mechanism is our National Digital Economy Strategy and plan which highlights initiatives for Digital Nigeria”.

According to him, the programme was one of the initiatives aimed at using indigenous digital technology to contain the virus and cushion the economic impact.