At the inception of the government of Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole (mni, CON) it identified Information Communication Technology (ICT) as a key driver in service delivery to the people of Edo State. This policy thrust necessitated the need for the annual Edo Technology Day event.
The Edo Technology Day serves as a premium stakeholder platform that brings together policy makers, industry players, technology experts, innovators and investors, to share ideas and experiences. It also serves as a forum for exploring opportunities and strategies for the utilization of technology, and charting the way forward on how best to mainstream technology in governance and its development process.
Working in collaboration with Microsoft Corporation, a leading software giant, Edo State Government organized the first Edo Technology Day in 2010. The event was chaired by the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, with the theme: “The Role of Technology in Capacity Building”. The Edo State Government used the opportunity to formally launch its Citizens Identification Card Project, the Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution and unveiled the Edo State Government website. It is worthy of mention that over 400 hundred young graduates were recruited for the successful execution of these laudable projects.
In 2011 the theme of the Technology Day was “Repositioning Edo State using Technology”. It was chaired by the Lagos State Governor, Barr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), while the keynote address was presented by Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui, former Chairman of the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS). At the event, Edo State showcased its efforts and achievements in positioning Edo State as a leading technology hub. Also, as a means of showing how the technology bug has pervaded the citizens of the State, secondary school students from across the State exhibited innovations in technology. The winning project was a robot for industrial use, designed by a young girl who is now on scholarship in Russia.
Still keeping up with the original objectives, the theme of the 2013 Edo State Technology Day is ‘Fostering Governance with Technology’. The event is scheduled to hold on 12th and 13th September 2013, and will emphasize how technology is being used by governments to transparently and efficiently deliver services to citizens, stimulate the information society, drive public sector transformation and help governments obtain citizens’ participation in governance. At this year’s event, the Edo State Open Data Portal will be launched. This portal would further demonstrate Edo State’s avowed commitment to transparency and citizens’ participation in governance, as essential government data would be made available to stakeholders and the general public on the portal. This would make Edo State the first State in Nigeria to launch a functional Open Data portal.
The keynote address will be delivered by Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Honourable Minister of Communication Technology of Nigeria, and the event will be chaired by Mr. Hakeem Belo-Osagie, Chairman of Etisalat Nigeria.
CNBC Africa will cover discussion sessions featuring renowned technology experts and key players in the ICT sector, who will speak on topics that include “Broadband Delivery and Management in Nigeria”; “Education at the brink of Digital Revolution”; “Security Implications of Big Data”; and “Actualizing a Workable National IT Policy”.
With a plethora of technology solutions, major global and local technology vendors and solutions providers will exhibit state-of-the-art displays of their technology products and services in diverse areas.
Furthermore, the event will play host to other States in Nigeria, such as Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and the BRACED Commission States of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers and Delta who will showcase how they are using technology to foster governance in their respective states.
The 2013 Edo Technology Day is scheduled to hold on the Thursday, 12th and Friday, 13th of September, 2013 from 9.00 a.m. at The Emporium, JBS Estate, Boundary Road, GRA, Benin City, Edo State.
We look forward to seeing you at this milestone event even as we welcome you to the great City of Benin with its rich cultural and historical landmarks. More at edotechnologyday.com
