IPC Hails Journalists' For Championing Awareness On Digital Resources

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja

Cross section of stakeholders at a Public Forum on Digital Public Infrastructure in Abuja on Tuesday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE. 

The International Press Center (IPC) Lagos has hailed the significant role played by journalists in championing awareness on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs). 

Programme Manager of IPC Lagos, Mrs Stella Nwofia stated this on Tuesday at a Public Forum on: "The Status of Digital Public Infrastructure in Nigeria: Progress, Challenges & Prospects" in Abuja.

Digital Public Infrastructure is the digital network that provides Nigerians with social services and targeted at improved service delivery in the digital space. DPIs are  crucial for online transactions, data exchange and digital identity verification.

Examples of such infrastructures are Internet broadband, National Identity Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), Artificial Intelligence models, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and Remita.  

The event was organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Accra Ghana and its Nigeria-based national partner, IPC Lagos. 

It drew participants from the media, government and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and was supported by Co-Develop, a global non-profit fund accelerating the adoption of safe and inclusive shared DPIs. 

Nwofia noted that by pondering over the advantages, challenges, and prospects linked with DPIs and DPGs, Nigerian journalists are pivotal in molding public perception and influencing policies that would lead to fairer access to vital digital resources nationwide.

In her opening remarks, she was optimistic that the participants would provide invaluable contributions that would advance journalism in the digital age.

Nwofia hinted that the crucial forum was dedicated to exploring the realms of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Digital Public Goods (DPGs) and their services. 

This, she said was in addition to navigating the complexities of the essential elements that are reshaping the journalistic landscape during this digital era.

Nwofia informed that IPC is proud to collaborate with MFWA, as both organisations jointly examine the role of technology in enhancing media freedom, facilitating access to information, and broadening the horizons of news dissemination. 

"In a time where digital innovation is at the heart of societal transformation, our dialogue today is of paramount importance.

"The synergy between DPI, DPGs, and journalism highlights the critical function of technology in elevating voices, promoting transparency and empowering journalists in their vital role as democracy’s sentinels.

"As allies in this mission to create a more interconnected, knowledgeable, and inclusive world, we embrace this chance to share insights, exchange best practices, and establish partnerships that will not only refine the caliber of journalism but also contribute to nurturing a dynamic and robust media landscape," she added. 

The programme manager maintained that the fruitful discuss and collective efforts would harness digital public infrastructure and goods, as well as enrich journalism and the society as a whole.

In a rapidly transforming digital environment, where technology influences every aspect of life, Nwofia lauded journalists for consistently advocating for development in the rural areas through investigative and analytical works while highlighting the benefits of DPI and DPGs. 

She disclosed that media practitioners possessed the extraordinary ability to elevate public awareness about the transformative impact of DPIs and DPGs, thereby encouraging thoughtful discourse among citizens, decision-makers and various stakeholders.