The Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami says there will be a Presidential Council on Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship that will help to curb the incessant harassment of the youths with laptops computers by the security agencies who are always tagged as ‘yahoo yahoo boys.’
The Minister who stated this while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, added that the council will be chaired by the President, while the Vice President serves as the vice chairman.
The Council, he further said would have membership from the government and private sectors as well as representatives from the academia.
“The Council under the chairmanship of the President would help to curb the incessant harassment of the youths with laptops computers by the security agencies who are always tagged as ‘yahoo yahoo boys,’ Pantami said.
Speaking further he disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the Nigeria Startups Bills.
Pantami also revealed that the government has set up N10 billion Investment Fund for young innovators as well as made provision for incentives and tax holidays to encourage local innovators.
He said in recognition of the efforts of the Nigeria government in the Information Communication Technology, ICT, Microsoft has decided to train about five million Nigerians on high demands skills geared towards job creation.
He noted that the ICT contributed 18.42 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP this year alone, while the entire contribution of Communication and Digital Economy was 40 per cent.
The Minister explained that the new Act was an Executive Bill initiated by President Buhari through the the collaboration of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy and the Offoce of the Chief of Staff to the president.
He said that before the passage of the bill, young innovators from the six geo-political zones of the country were engaged, adding that the Act provides the legal and strategic framework for the innovators to make their contributions to the country.
He added that out of the seven unicorns in Africa, five are from Nigeria, adding that a market value of each unicorn worths $1billion.
