The Local Multi-stakeholders Advisory Group (LMAG) of the Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF), in collaboration with other local stakeholders, is organizing a two-day Nigeria Internet Governance Forum in Lagos. The LMAG includes: the Ministry of Communication Technology (MCT), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Internet Society (ISOC) Nigeria, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Global Network for Cybersolution Ltd/Gte (GNC), Rita Talabi Foundation, Creative Technology for Development Initiative (CTDI) and DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA).
The Forum is scheduled to hold at MUSON Centre, Onikan Lagos on June 9 and 10, 2014 at 9:00am daily.
The first day of the two-day 2014 NIGF will be devoted to the youth as a pre-event. It would host a youth workshop focusing on “Internet Governance for Job Creation & Social Enterprise Development” to be presided over by Professor Cleopas Angaye, an Internet Security Consultant and former Director General of NITDA. Day two would centre on “Harnessing Multi-Stakeholders Framework for Internet Governance & Economic Growth” with discussions led by 2014 forum chairman, Austin Okere of Computer Warehouse Group Plc.
The NIGF is a renewed collaborative effort of internet stakeholders in the country led by the LMAG since 2012 to help provide a coordinated mechanism for domestic stakeholders’ participations in local, regional and global internet governance dialogues. The effort has culminated in partnerships, coalitions and dialogues that redefine Nigeria’s position at internet governance meetings.
According to the Convener, Mary Uduma, the NIGF is aimed at “providing a sustainable national forum and structure that engages industry, government, lawmakers, the academia, civil society and all stakeholders in a strategic national debate on internet governance”. She noted that over the years, the Internet has affected the way we live and communicate with one another and it has been a huge contributor to economic development. “It affects virtually all areas of life such as business, health, education and transport,” she declared. Uduma further stated that the strategic importance of the forum is such that participants are drawn from all social and economic groups to have a say, through multi-stakeholders’ dialogue, in establishing local principles and protocols that would guide the governance of the Internet in order to facilitate economic growth in Nigeria.
The Forum has recorded a combined attendance of over 1,000 stakeholders since its inception in 2012. It has attracted active participation from public institutions, private sector groups, civil society groups, professional bodies, trade associations, academia, students and youths, military and para-military organizations, security and law enforcement agencies, government, law makers, ICT industry, internet users, and the public, as well as media groups from print, electronic and online, scholars and research scientists.
Uduma urged participants to register online at NIGF’s website (http://www.nigf.org.ng/), pointing out that NIGF 2014 is focused on engaging a multi-stakeholder forum to harness and aggregate productive ideas, best practices and experiences towards facilitating an all-inclusive framework for internet governance in Nigeria that will actively stimulate economic growth.
Topics to be discussed at the NIGF 2014 include: IGF & Future of the Internet ecosystem; Internet as an engine for growth & development, Content Creation, Dissemination and Use; Enhancing Digital Trust; Policies enabling Access; Emerging Issues; and Critical Internet Resources
The expected outcomes from the Forum include the following: Enable consensus building among stakeholders on framework for Internet governance in Nigeria; Address the nation’s most critical and evolving issues on Internet governance; and Advancing the nation’s position at the regional and global IGF Forum.
