Ovia harps on early access to ICT tools

Managing Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia, has identified early access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by the youths, would create early adopters with potentials to grow the economy.

He also said that by growing with technology, young people would have societal transformation, giving them the power of the internet to connect, communicate and innovate.

Speaking on “ICT: Your Tool to Improve the World,” at the recently concluded Computer, Telecommunications and Online Service (CTO) in Lagos, Ovia noted that the key to maintaining a competitive edge in today’s world is ICT.

According to him, it would empower learners, developers, contributors, entrepreneurs and decision-makers, to name a few.

Equally, Ovia said, ICT is the solution that would strengthen education, create employment, promote local entrepreneur, improve health, and distribute local relevant information, encourage good governance and social mobility.

He also identified the four pillars of knowledge-based society as having an ICT infrastructure, enabling environment, relevant content and intellectual capability, and creating virtuous circle of growth.

“Businesses are now virtual; news is instantaneous and in real time. E-commerce has redefined the banking landscape in many countries almost effectively eliminating cash. Essentially cash is used to make payments of small amounts and this is even set to be replaced by micro-payments via mobile handsets,” he said.

Further, he said, that digital revolution has transformed the economic structure of all sectors, thus changing the rules of the game, noting that networking connects people, businesses and organizations to work together and creates new types of jobs.

The Zenith bank boss quoted Microsoft founder Bill Gates as saying “The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency and automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.

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