1. The Nigeria Internet Governance Forum Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (NIGF-MAG) in collaboration with the Government of Kaduna State and other stakeholders in the country is organizing special edition of the annual Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF 2017) in Kaduna state, with the overarching theme ‘’CONNECTING, SHAPING & EMPOWERING THE PEOPLE’’ .
Date: 13 July 2017; Venue: the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Muhammad Murtala Square, Race Course Road, Kaduna.
Chief Host: Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State.
Special Guest of Honour: Bar. Adebayo Shittu, the Hon. Minister of Communication Technology, Ministry of Communications
2. The objective of NIGF 2017 is to facilitate stakeholders’ participation, contribution and response to the National Internet policy dialogue on contentious Internet issues, empowering stakeholders towards enabling National Economic & Growth Plan and Sustainable Development Goals and safeguarding of our national digital economy.
3. The forum is expected to achieve the following outcomes:
i. Stakeholders will be informed with ideas, solutions and interventions relevant for addressing internet issues in their various communities
ii. Provide common approaches and consensus for impacting emerging policies on economic and development.
iii. Stakeholders engagement in Internet governance policy public hearing and open consultative process in response to 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 with internet enterprise innovation
vii. Enhance Security and Law Enforcement agencies knowledge for safeguarding Internet community in the country.
viii. Harmonize the local multi-stakeholder positions, input and contributions into the regional and global Internet Governance Forum.
4. The Secretariat of NIGF and the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) have concluded arrangement to make this year edition more impactful, diversify, inclusive, accessible and transparently open to stakeholders in the country, providing 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.
5. Learning from the NIGF 2016 outcome with series of consultations, and continuous clamour by the stakeholders for the continuation of NIGF multi-stakeholders dialogue mechanism and interventions on security, economic and development issues in line with the national economic agenda and global development expectations, the 2017 edition of Nigeria Internet Governance Forum has as its overarching theme ‘“Internet: Connecting, Shaping and Empowering the People’’.
6. The NIGF is a coordinated multi-stakeholders open forum and network for discussions, interactions, contributions and exchange of ideas on challenging and emerging policy issues concerning the Internet and Nigeria Internet community. NIGF further facilitate a sustainable platform for gathering input from Nigerian IG Stakeholders into the sub-regional, regional and global dialogue on emerging policy issues at West Africa IGF, Africa IGF and United Nations IGF to held from 18-21 December in Geneva, Switzerland, at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). (www.integovforum.org).
7. ‘ In the past 5years, NIGF has evolved into an inclusive Internet policy dialogue mechanism for the country contributing to national development. 2017 is another significant year for NIGF, a time the Federal Government unveils its multi-years national economic recovery and growth plan, when the world is fighting hunger and poverty through the UN global development agenda, and a decisive time the global Internet Governance forum is seeking to shape our digital future amid the escalating incidences of global hack attack and social media malaises ’’
8. Therefore, NIGF offers a multi-stakeholders’ hub for all stakeholders from Governments, Civil Society, Businesses, Technical Community, Academia, development partners and Multinational Corporation actively operating in the local Internet ecosystem to come together, harness ideas, build consensus and offer collective solutions for Internet governance in Nigeria.
For more information, please www.nigf.org.ng