Nigeria is scheduled to host the annual World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) in 2022.
WCIT is the World Information Technology & Services Alliance ( known as the WITSA’s IT Olympic) annual congress that was usually rotated and hosted among country members every two years until the 2016 edition hosted by Brazil where the congress decided that it be held annually.
At the 2019 edition in Yerevan, Armenia, Nigeria was nominated to host the 2022 edition after Malaysia 2020 and Bangladesh 2021.
Mr Emmanuel Olarewaju Ayoola receiving his award from Dr Olatunji
Though the 2022 hosting right has been ceded to Nigeria, the country would communicate its acceptance of the prestigious IT Olympics at the WCIT 2020 in Malaysia.
The news of the hosting was announced at the maiden edition of the Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN) award night, held recently in Lagos.
According to ITAN president Olutayo Adeniyi, Nigeria would send a high-powered delegation of both public and private sectors to attend the congress to proof to the 85 member countries that Nigeria is willing and ready to host the world in grand style.
In his comment, Dr Vicent Olatunji Director at Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) the hosting worldwide information technology association & service allied in Nigeria 2022 is not for one association alone but that of Nigeria’s responsibility, especially the government.
He advised ITAN to set up a committee to begin work on how to realize the goal of hosting the IT Olympics, promising that he would bring up the matter to the attention of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami.
ITAN has been actively involved in WCIT activities since its formal admission into WITSA (www.witsa.org) in Malaysia during a world congress joining the rest of over 85 economies of the world in advocating policies for world economies.
It has coordinated and led federal ministerial delegations from Nigeria to the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) signature events in many countries since 2010.
In 2018, following its prominent role in the global front, ITAN was re-elected into the Board of WITSA and won the prestigious position of WITSA Vice Chairman for African Continent.
ITAN was established on 16 March, 1991 as Microcomputer Vendors Association of Nigeria (MiVAN) as originally conceived mainly to promote IT literacy, and digital penetration in Nigeria.
The association changed its name to Computer Vendors Association of Nigera (MiVAN) in 1996 and in April 2000, the name Information Technology industry Association (ITAN) was registered.
At the ITAN award event GTBank received the Digital Innovation Banking of the year 2019 award, while the Best Insurance IT Innovation of the year 2019 award went to FBNGeneral Insrance Ltd. The award for Digital Economy Entrepreneurs for the year 2019 was given to Chief Dr Leo Stan Ekeh and the Best Foreign IT OEM for Corporate Social Responsibility awards of the year 2019 went to Microsoft Nigeria.
Best Excellence Membership Award for Lagos chapter of the year 2019 was won by Mr Emmanuel Olarewaju Ayoola (Chairman and CEO Tranter IT) and the Best Quality Digital Standard Award of the year was clinched by TDPlus LTD .
