The federal government said it will harness digital trade to achieve its $1tn economy target.
This was revealed after a meeting between the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole and the Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani.
The trade minister highlighted the areas of potential collaborations to include national e-commerce policy and strategy, National Talent Export Programme, leadership in AFCFTA, technology export and digital trade desk.
She said, “International trade and investment is a big agenda for us; we are scaling up where we can be globally competitive.
“We are scaling up digital infrastructure in both public and private sectors; we are growing support for start-ups; we are trading in Africa, trading in Africa is a must for us and so we must advance digital trade in Africa.”
Tijani noted that the entire focus of the present administration is to drive prosperity through technology.
He said, “We are both committed to continue collaborating to ensure growth and diversification in our digital trade as we work towards a $1tn economy.
“Modern day technology is a key enabler for any economy , if you increase investment in technology by 10 per cent, it can produced 25 per cent increase in GDP.
“We are targeting billion-dollar investment into the country, so this is where trade and investment are important for our ministry. We need talent, the right infrastructure, the right policy, and the right environment to do these.
“Great nations are great not only because they are able to produce technology but also because they are able to export technology.”
The minister noted a global shortage of digital talent, adding that Nigeria has a comparative advantage over developed nations.
He added, “We believe Nigeria can be a net exporters of talents with her huge youth population.
“Our goal is not only to train them but also to ensure that they are gainfully employed.”