" ICT - NIGERIA'S ROADMAP TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT" PREAMBLE

SUBMISSION OF MEMORANDUM TO THE NATIONAL POLITICAL REFORM CONFERENCE (NPRC)
BY THE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES GROUP OF TWENTY TWO (ICT-G22)

Globalization and its impact on Development in the 21st century has caught many unprepared nations unawares - especially developing nations, including Nigeria. We are thus left in a catch-up mode in a very significant and critical variable in human existence and development equation.


Today, decision makers find themselves trapped in a complex development spider-web of knowledge, asking key questions such as:
What defines community values, progress, development, quality education,
justice, wealth, prosperity etc. in today's global information-centric and
knowledge-based economy? Has education kept pace with a rapidly changing world?
Are there good models for reform that we can follow? Indeed, are we capable of originating a workable model to suite our purposes?

The thrust of our Memorandum, which attempts to examine key challenges and proffer functional and sustainable solutions to our nation building dynamics, can be broadly summarised as follows: that of ICT
intervention and constructive sectoral engagement in

a. "SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY"

b. "INFRASTRUCTURE"

c. "EDUCATION & HEALTH"

d. "GOVERNANCE & LEGISLATION"

e. "INDUSTRY & COMMERCE"

f. "RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT"

g. "PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP''

h. "GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS''

i. "RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT''

There is therefore an urgent need to re-define, update and refocus our national development strategies to critically address all the above issues:

We have observed and are deeply concerned that over the years, ICT and ICT-related issues have not been given the national attention that they deserve, as the catalyst of change for national development and global competitiveness. This observation has once more been justified by the NON-INCLUSION of the organised Information and Communication Technologies Professionals as national delegates in the on-going national conference!

This Memorandum is structured and presented under four sections.  Section I, forms the introduction to the subject, incorporating the profile of its sponsors and promoters (ICT22); also, it examines the global impact of the Information and Communications Technologies Revolution and its implications for Nigeria. 
Section II examines the key factors of global challenges to nation building in the 21st Century with lessons for Nigeria. 
Under Section III the Memorandum presents the strategic imperatives for returning Nigeria to the knowledge-based value system, through ICT intervention- as a significant part in resolving the attendant issues of her UNDER-DEVELOPMENT POVERTY ALLEVIATION and leap-frogging her to the path of global competitiveness, wealth creation and prosperity. 
Section IV concludes the submission with useful recommendations and strategies.