IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The strategy which covers till 2020 is based on three main pillars - citizens, business and the government. The aim is to promote more the use of social networking, mobile applications, bridge the digital divide and promote research and innovation. Other objectives are to promote Malta as a digital hub, seek strategic alliances with multi national companies and improve the government's online platform. The strategy also includes plans for e-democracy through which citizens have their say in certain decisions as part of a commitment to promote open government.

THE government expects information and communications technology services and electronic-commerce (e-commerce) to be the largest contributors to Malaysia's digital economy, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The sectors, he added, would push the goal of digital economy initiative, Digital Malaysia, to contribute 17 per cent to the country's gross domestic product.

The evolution of economic activity and technology offers enormous challenges and an opportunity for data centres

The establishment of data centre hubs and cloud service providers will continue to be the driving force behind the rise of the country’s digital economy, according to AIMS Data Centre CEO Chiew Kok Hin.

Often, players in respective industries need to innovate in this aspect to stay relevant and competitive by today’s standards.

BizHive Weekly explores the many advancements made in digital technology in Malaysia and highlights certain players in niche industries paving a name thanks to unique technology.

Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, said: "We are very excited about the Intellectual Property Financing Fund Scheme as it will enable the ICT firms to increase their funding capability.

The prime minister said he firmly believed that digital technology and the embracing of a digital lifestyle was the differentiator that would serve to take Malaysia to a new level of success, prosperity and global recognition.

Gamuda Bhd group managing director Datuk Lin Yun Ling talks about the group’s journey towards zero-carbon, and why the transition has to be a collective effort on the part of all stakeholders.

In recent years, countries around the world, led by the US, the European Union (EU) and China, have accelerated their transition to the green economy to tackle the devastating effects of climate change. As these countries rev up their commitments to transforming to low-carbon, resource-efficient and socially inclusive economies, it will be only a matter of time before it becomes imperative for other countries and economic sectors to follow suit, particularly if it is a prerequisite to doing business.

The Indian information technology (IT) industry is a key driver of India’s economic growth and has demonstrated robust performance over the last two decades. The IT industry — including both software exporters and business process management firms — employs around 23 lakh people in the country. With the formation of the new government, industry body Nasscom expects a brighter future and more support from it. In an interview with Business Line, R Chandrasekhar, President, Nasscom, shares more thoughts. Excerpts:

The NITPPF is the premier event where IT public sector administrators, professionals, business leaders, high level public officials and opinion leaders from all parts of Nigeria come together to share and build a vision of a connected knowledge base with access for all.

In the ever-evolving realm of global economics, Ethiopia stands at the precipice of a digital revolution that holds the power to reshape its economy. With a rapidly expanding population and an increasingly interconnected world, Ethiopia’s digital economy carries tremendous promise in unlocking unprecedented growth and addressing urgent challenges, such as unemployment. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that in 2023, Ethiopia’s population reached 126.5 million, with 58 percent falling within the 15-64 age group, which constitutes an active demographic for digital usage. Drawing inspiration from the remarkable transformations witnessed in countries like China, Japan, and South Korea, Ethiopia’s trajectory towards digital advancement appears poised to steer it towards prosperity and innovation.

The World Summit on Information Society is a United Nations Conference led by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) –– a UN specialised agency. WSIS''s goal is to develop a global framework to deal with the challenges posed by the information society, said deputy director at NTA Min Prasad Aryal.

The country has to improve its performance in at least 10 indicators to meet the target given by World Summit on Information Society, said Aryal. The country should start the process of connecting villages to information and communication technology (ICT) and establish community access points, to connect universities, colleges, secondary schools, and primary schools with ICT and to also connect scientific and research centres with ICT by 2015, to meet the WSIS target, he added.

The NCC Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, said this at a three-day Digital Pay Expo 2018, describing digital economy as an inevitable phenomenon of growth, which nations of the world could not resist.

The NCC Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, said this at a three-day Digital Pay Expo 2018, describing digital economy as an inevitable phenomenon of growth, which nations of the world could not resist.

The Federal Government has said it is working on a bill – the Nigeria Startup Bill (NSB) that will aid the digital economy in the country.

The government explained that the Bill is a set of rules and incentives that will help create an enabling environment for tech enabled businesses.

Speaking with THISDAY in Umuahia, the chief marketing officer of Broadbased Communications, Mr. Chidi Ibisi, said that the fibre optic network would put Abia on the telecommunications super high way and revolutionise the health care delivery system in the state.

The Honorable Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) has restated federal government commitment to boost digital economy with the post COVID-19 pandemic Era.

Pantami, was represented by the director-general/CEO of NIMC, Engr Aliyu A Aziz, made this known while delivering a keynote address at the Institute of Information Management 2020 Annual Summit, on the theme: ‘e-Governance, Digital Economy & Records Management: Assessing Government Readiness on Electronic Document Management & Digitization post COVID-19’ in Abuja.

Director-General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi has said that cybersecurity is critical in a digital economy as it would secure Nigeria’s cyber space and build the confidence of the citizenry.

Abdullahi made this known during a Webinar in commemoration of the agency’s 20th anniversary organised by Digital Jewel with the theme: “Cyber Risk and Cybersecurity” for Cloud Governance and Security, Cybersecurity Trends, Threats and Failsafe measures.

The country popularly referred to as the giant of Africa has come under serious searchlight as its influence on the continent continues to dwindle despite having the largest population.

Egypt, Tunisia, Mauritius and South Africa are now far ahead of Nigeria in the ICT Development Index. To prove that we are still far behind our peers, Lagos was ranked bottom of the largest cities in the world on the use of ICT to better the lives of its citizens in a research conducted by Arthur D. Little Institute and Ericsson.

The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has said that the digital economy will contribute more than 45 per cent to the nation’s GDP, noting that the ICT sector alone currently contributes more than 17 per cent.

Pantami made this known while speaking at the virtual Nigeria Internet Governance Forum 2020 (vNIGF) with the theme “Achieving Inclusive Digital Economic Development in the Post-COVID 19 Era.”

The Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission, Aliyu Abubakar , has said in order to advance digital infrastructure and promote financial inclusion a robust and secure e-identity system is important.

He spoke at an event tagged, “CIO Club Africa Summit: Digital Economy and Nexus Between E-Identity, Connectivity and Financial Inclusion”, which was held in Lagos.