From Olukayode Idowu, Abuja
Korea and Nigeria have signed an agreement worth $13 million to boost eGovernment expansion in the country.
The contract was on Thursday in Abuja by the Republic of Korea, through its grant aid agency, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Office in Nigeria and Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
The agreement is aimed at further boosting the eGovernment expansion in Nigeria, particularly increased access in the enrolment of the National Identification Number (NIN).
The KOICA Office in Nigeria, in a statement to ThisDay, said the new project agreement is for the implementation of the ‘Project for Building Foundations Towards Digital Governance in Nigeria from 2020 to 2026.’
The statement said: “The project which is fully funded by the Korean Government through grant, is expected to enhance capacity for the further execution of key initiatives of the National eGovernment Master Plan, improve competencies for eGovernment service delivery through capacity building programs, expand the delivery of government digital services through the activation of the Government Service Portal www.services.gov.ng and create increased access for NIN enrolment through the establishment of additional NIN enrolment centers.”
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, said KOICA’s aid disbursement for eGovernment remained the highest in Nigeria.
Pantami explained the remarkable experience he had during his visit to Korea for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conference, saying that the experience presented him with the opportunity to appreciate the robust development of Korea’s eGovernment structures and implementation.
Pantami said the Federal Government is ready to expand eGovernment in Nigeria, noting that the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy was fully prepared to actualize the objectives of the new project to further boost the expansion of eGovernment initiatives across the country.
In his remark, Country Director, KOICA Nigeria Office, Mr. Woochan Chang, said the new project serves as a second phase for the Project for eGovernment Capacity Building in Nigeria, earlier implemented during 2013-2019, which was also fully funded by KOICA.
He called for the full activation of the Presidential Council on eGovernment which he regarded as a significant engine room for the operationalization of activities as designed in the new project, adding that the new project activities are closely aligned with the policy focus of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020 -2030.