The Information Technology Security System Professionals (ITSSPs), a group of tech experts in Nigeria, have called on the Nigerian government to appoint a minister of state for the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy (FMCIDE).
According to them, the size and complexity of the FMCIDE, which manages three key portfolios—Communications, Digital Economy, and Innovation—necessitate additional leadership.
The Executive Secretary of ITSSPs, Mr. Rogba Adeoye, made the recommendation during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Saturday.
He clarified that the call for a minister of state is not a reflection of any inadequacies in the leadership of the current minister, Bosun Tijani, but rather a response to the increasing demands on the ministry’s resources and responsibilities.
While noting that the responsibilities of the Ministry have been expanding, the ITSSP Executive Secretary said:
“The Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy is pivotal for both the Nigerian economy and its global standing.
“When we talk about a digital economy, it’s powered by vast amounts of data and other critical technologies. In that context, FMCIDE is not a small ministry,” he said.
“These are not small tasks. The workload is immense, and though policies are abundant, there is a shortfall in the number of individuals available to push them forward,” Adeoye remarked.
“Brain drain is a serious concern, and we need to put measures in place to retain the talent we’ve invested in,” he said.
Nigeria has Ministers of State to ensure that each state is represented in the Cabinet, even though there are fewer ministries than states.
This is to fulfil the constitutional requirement that at least one Cabinet member come from each of the country’s 36 states.
With the creation of new Ministries by the Bola Tinubu’s administration, the country now has a total of 46 Ministers, out of which 14 are Ministers of State.