Buhari renames communications ministry

President Muhammadu Buhari has renamed the nation’s communication ministry to the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday by the ministry’s spokesperson, Philomena Oshodin, it said the president renamed the ministry based on the request of the minister, Isa Pantami.

The Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami, will now ”properly position and empower the ministry to fulfil his digital economy objectives,” the statement added.

“The Ministry which supervises the ICT Sector has been renamed the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to further expand its mandate to capture the goals of digitalisation of the Nigerian economy in line with the Economic Growth and Recovery Plan (EGRP), one of the key agenda of the present administration,” the statement said.

According to the statement, the former name ”was not only limited in pursuing the objectives of a digital economy but obsolete as it did not reflect the trends as emphasised by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)”.

“ICT contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at 13.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2019. The change of nomenclature will propel the Ministry to reposition its strategic objectives as laid out in the priority areas of this administration while accelerating growth and social inclusion,” it added.

It cited examples of ”global and African economies like Scotland, Thailand, Tunisia, Benin Republic and Burkina Faso among others who have adopted deliberate strategies and created Ministries of Digital Economy in line with global best practice”.

In a letter containing his approval, Mr Buhari reportedly said the request is in line with global best practice which will further reflect the priorities of his administration.

The approved name was announced and adopted by the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday.