LAGOS: Nigeria's Minister of Communications and Technology Omobola Johnson has inked a new deal with Cross Rivers state government to increase the state's information and technology infrastructure as well as to create a knowledge city, the ministry said in a press release. She said at the signing of MoU in her office between an agency under the Ministry's supervision, NITDA, and the Cross Rivers state government that it should help “boost IT and telecom in rural areas and give this state the infrastructure needed to achieve its goals.” According to her, the MoU marked a milestone in the efforts to develop a “vibrant software development industry that would serve the Nigeria and International Market.” Johnson reiterated that upon completion of the Knowledge City, it is “expected to incubate and foster spin off and start up ICT firms and help to commercialise academic research in ICTs, facilitate the growth of small and medium scale ICT businesses through creative fiscal incentives and support programmes, create a pool of ICT skills and competencies that can be deployed well beyond the state, attract inward investments from more established national and international companies/mature technology businesses by offering world class scalable physical facilities and proximity to a vibrant ICT.” IT expert and consultant with Cross Rivers Jonathan Unbialo told Bikyamasr.com that “boosting Nigerian rural areas has to be a key move for the country this year because it can be a massive influx for investment and telecom penetration.” BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/lLPyo Tags: Cross Rivers, IT, Nigeria Section: Tech, West Africa
