[WSIS CS-Plenary] CANI Launched

[Henry Ekwuruke]

President Olusegun Obasanjo on July 6 2006, launched the Computer for All
Nigerians Initiative (CANI) aimed at easing access to, and use of computers
amongst all Nigerians in irrespective of class, age gender and location.

President Obasanjo explained that the scheme is his administration's social
programme designed to assist individual employee in both public and private
sectors to purchase personal computers and laptops at discounted prices
under affordable and convenient repayment plan.

He said the objective of the CANI scheme is to increase computer penetration
in Nigeria in line with the National ICT policy, the multi-sectoral reform
agenda of government and the realisation of the objectives of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).

"I believe CANI will stimulate a vibrant local industry in hardware and
software, employment generation, poverty alleviation, wealth creation as
well as capacity building Nigrian workforce. In addition, it will engender
an enabling environment for more electronic services such as e-Business,
e-Government, and e-payments", he stated.

President Obasanjo commended the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology,
National Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Microsoft and INTEL for
collaborating on the scheme; saying is a clear demonstration of this
Administration's commitment to promoting a robust public-private
–partnership towards the re-engineering of the socio-economic infrastructure
of the country.
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