IT Outsourcing Can Grow Economy by 10%, Create 1m Jobs- Shittu

e-Government Master Plan presently before the Federal Executive Council for approval to serve as the national working document will also guide the process for unleashing flourishing outsourcing sub-sector.

Adeabyo Shittu, minister of Communications made the remark as special guest of honour at the 6th edition of the 2017 Outsourcing Expo held in Lagos, stating that as soon as the document is approved, e-Governance activities will commence in earnest and in the process, business outsourcing opportunities will begin to emerge, “the very reason why setting standards for the BPO sub-sector at this material time has become even more imperative”.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), as the Minister said, is an emerging green-field activity in Nigeria, with the potentials to grow the nation’s economy by more than 10% and create an estimated 1,000,000 jobs alone, if well harnessed.

“To harness the potentials, it is pertinent we have to do what we are supposed to do – opening up the sub-sector for business activities to flourish. And to open up the industry, we must first provide proper guidelines that would regulate the conduct of the players which, to my mind, is the import of the theme of this conference.

“It is also instructive to note that, Nigeria’s collaboration with South Korea for adoption and implementation of e-Governance in Nigeria is on its final lap of the race. It has an e-Government Master Plan which is now before the Federal Executive Council for approval to serve as the national working document to guide the process.

“As soon as it is approved, e-Governance activities will commence in earnest and in the process, business outsourcing opportunities will begin to emerge, the very reason why setting standards for the BPO sub-sector at this material time has become even more imperative”, he said.

The Minister further called for focused Policy, Regulation and Legal Frameworks to guide the sub-sector’s activities in line with international standards.

He disclosed that the Ministry had inaugurated a committee to review the ‘2012 National ICT Policy’, aimed at updating and capturing hitherto neglected areas such as the BPO and some recent developments in the sector to make it current and in tune with realities of the changes taking place in the sector.

“The work of the committee is still at ministerial level. When a draft ‘Reviewed Policy Document’ is produced, we will engage critical stakeholders and then put the document in the public domain for possible criticism, comments and contributions.

“I reiterate government’s support, political will and determination to implement your recommendations for the opening up and flourishing of the BPO industry in Nigeria is guaranteed,” he said.