The Multi-stakeholders Advisory Group (MAG) of the Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF), comprising of Federal Ministry of Communications (MoC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), Internet Society Nigeria Chapter (ISOC), DigitalSENSE Africa Media, Creative Technology Development International (CTDL), and Global Network for Cybersolution (GNC), in collaboration with the Internet community stakeholders is hosting the special edition of NIGF 2018 scheduled to hold in Abuja.
The Venue of the special edition is Shehu Musa Yar’Ardua Conference Center while the scheduled date is July 3rd, 2018. The overarching theme is ‘‘Internet as Enabler for Good Governance’’. The Honourable Minster of Communications, Barrister Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, is the Special Guest of Honour, and he will declare the forum open.
The NIGF 2018 will be featuring a Pre-NIGF Youths Workshop with the theme “Internet for Opportunities, Value Creation and Empowerment” which will hold on the 2nd of July, 2018. Members of ISOC Nigeria are expected to use the platform to meet some of the Chapter Leaders within and around Abuja Environs.
The objective of NIGF 2018 is to facilitate stakeholders’ intervention on the use of Internet for the enthronement of good governance for national economic recovery; stimulate the Internet community open participation in a regional and global Internet policy dialogue on emerging Internet issues; and engage stakeholders toward effective monitoring of the implementation of National Economic & Growth Plan and Sustainable Development Goals.
The forum is expected to achieve the following outcomes:
i. Stakeholders would be informed with ideas, solutions and interventions relevant for addressing good governance in their various communities.
ii. Provide common approaches and stakeholders’ consensus for impact good governance policies on national economy, development and security.
iii. Opportunity for Internet governance policy public hearing and open consultative process in response to the regional and global IGF demand for local inclusion.
iv. Stimulate government and stakeholders’ commitment to the adoption and implementation of the outcome document.
v. Strengthen stakeholders’ partnership for the improvement of local IG process
vi. Empower the youth for greater Internet productivity and innovations
vii. Harmonize the local multi-stakeholder positions, input and contributions into the regional and global Internet Governance Forum.
The NIGF 2018 would be taking into consideration the overarching theme of the global IGF and harmonizing the inputs of Nigerian stakeholders into the Regional Global IGF framework covering: Cybersecurity and Trust; Internet Economy; Access, Inclusiveness and Diversity; Openness; Enhancing Multi-stakeholder Cooperation; Critical Internet Resources; and Emerging Issues.
The Secretariat of NIGF and the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) have concluded arrangement to make this year edition more significant in addressing the national issues and open to stakeholders with the opportunities to share, discuss, and collaborate together towards addressing critical national challenges on Internet governance, policies and contentious Internet issues currently treading and affecting stakeholders in the country.
In the past six years, NIGF has evolved into an inclusive Internet policy dialogue mechanism contributing to national development. 2018 is another significant year for NIGF, a time the citizens are demanding more commitment on good governance, as the country election machinery moves gradually towards 2019. This year is the period when stakeholders are examining government commitment to its responsibility and accountability in its implementation of a multi-year national economic recovery and growth plan, when the world is readjusting to EU general data protection regulations (GDPR) and massive breaching of facebook social media data for political gains, amidst growing call for data protection governance and cybersecurity.
The NIGF provides coordinated response through discussions, interactions, contributions and exchange of ideas on challenging and emerging policy issues concerning the Internet and Nigeria Internet community. It offers a national platform for stakeholders from Governments, Civil Society, Businesses, Technical Community, Academia, development partners and multinational corporation operating in the Nigerian Internet ecosystem to come together, harness ideas, build consensus and offer collective solutions for Internet governance issues in Nigeria.
Building on these commitments, Nigeria Internet Governance Process continues to provide a regional IG benchmark which has inspired other national IG initiatives in ECOWAS sub region and Africa.
The NIGF 2018 major tracks fall in line with the Global IGF Agenda. Other details can be found at www.nigf.org.ng. For further enquiry and exclusive corporate support, call 08037017537.
