The Ogun Tech Community has called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to establish a dedicated Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the state, warning that the absence of such an institution is stalling the full benefits of Nigeria’s digital economy policies.
The group, which is a coalition of startups, innovation hubs, IT professionals, and digital experts across the state, said Ogun should not lag behind despite producing some of the country’s most influential ICT policymakers, including Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that currently, ICT is lumped under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Ogun State, a structure the group described as inadequate for driving digital transformation.
Speaking on behalf of the body, its president, Adekunle Durosinmi, said Ogun State was well-positioned to lead in the country’s digital revolution but lacked the institutional framework to back it up.
“Ogun State has the innovators, the talent, and the national representation to lead Nigeria’s digital economy. What is missing is the institutional structure to harness these opportunities.
“A Ministry of ICT will allow Ogun State to align with federal initiatives, implement crucial policies like the Startup Act, and fully develop Silicon Hill—our own Silicon Valley—to nurture globally competitive tech talent,” he said.
The community noted that the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has already set the pace by championing the Nigeria Startup Act and other transformative digital policies, but without a dedicated state ministry, Ogun risks losing out on the opportunities.
According to the group, a standalone ICT ministry in the state would provide a central authority to implement ICT-related policies and frameworks.
The group added that the ministry will also unlock opportunities from national digital economy programs and accelerate the adoption of the Nigeria Startup Act.
The group ministry will Strengthen Ogun’s tech ecosystem through startups, hubs, and IT professionals and psition the state as a major digital and innovation hub in Nigeria.
The Ogun Tech Community, therefore, urged Governor Abiodun to fulfill his promise by renaming the current Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to the Ministry of Education, while establishing a Ministry of ICT as an independent portfolio.
The group insisted that the step was crucial for Ogun State to fully harness the potentials of the digital economy and compete globally.
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