By Chibuike Nwabuko, Abuja
Minister of Communications Technology, Adebayor Shittu, has hinted that his Ministry is set to collaborate with the European Union (EU) on Information and Communications Technology (ICT), as well as Digital Economy.
Shittu, who dropped the hint when the European Union Ambassador, Michael Arrion, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja, said that the collaboration is timely as the Nigerian government is now shifting from oil to focusing on other non-oil sectors such as ICT to boost the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country.
In his address, the leader of the EU delegation, Ambassador Michael Arrion, acknowledged long standing relationship that exists between the EU and Nigeria for over 40 years said, “great opportunities abound for digital market in the country”.
The EU Ambassador revealed that the key purpose of the visit was to inform the Minister that the Vice President of European Union Commission for EU Single Digital Market and EU Digital Economy, Andrus Ansip, will be visiting Nigeria early in February.
The visit, Arrion said, is to further strengthen the collaboration, meet with various ICT agencies of the ministry to deliberate, and interface on areas that will be beneficial to the Nigerian economy.
He added that Europe has earmarked Africa, and specifically Nigeria, as the main pillar of economic market, which informed his coming and the E.U sees Nigeria as a place for investment that has high market potentials.