Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa-Ali Pantami, has said Nigeria can address its pressing challenges, including insecurity and unemployment, through the strategic deployment of technology, sound policies, and reliable power supply.
Pantami made this known on Monday during the launch of a compendium highlighting 241 legacy projects and over 700 employment opportunities executed during his tenure as Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency and later as minister between 2019 and 2023 in Gombe State.
He noted that the world is currently in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven largely by digital innovation and artificial intelligence, stressing that Nigeria must embrace this shift to remain competitive.
“This era is all about technology, particularly digital technology and most importantly artificial intelligence. I strongly believe that there is a solution to each and every challenge we have in Nigeria in technology,” he said.
The cybersecurity expert explained that during his time in office, he initiated technology-driven projects across the country aimed at empowering youths and strengthening sectors such as education, security, and the economy.
Pantami highlighted the role of digital infrastructure in enhancing security, citing surveillance systems that enable real-time monitoring and crime detection.
According to him, such systems have already improved security operations in parts of the country.
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On job creation, he pointed to vast opportunities in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, noting that millions of jobs are available globally in these sectors.
“In cybersecurity alone, there are millions of job opportunities, while artificial intelligence is projected to create over 87 million jobs globally.
This shows we can tackle unemployment through technology,” he said.
Pantami also presented his scorecard, stating that he executed over 241 projects in Gombe State and contributed to more than 4,600 initiatives nationwide, emphasising that his approach focused on equitable distribution across all regions.
“Justice must be done to every part of the country. That is exactly what we ensured,” he added, maintaining that he served with integrity and was never indicted for corruption during his time in office.
Beneficiaries of the initiatives shared testimonies of impact. One of them, Abubakar Mohammed, said he secured employment at the Federal University of Kashere through the intervention, while another beneficiary, Abubakar Maina, now works with the National Identity Management Commission.
Pantami expressed optimism that continued investment in technology-driven initiatives by both federal and state governments would further boost education, strengthen security architecture, and stimulate economic growth across Nigeria.