Photo credit: Dr Bosun Tijani
The official website of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) is delaying to open, leaving users and visitors unable to access it promptly on Wednesday evening.
Checks by SaharaReporters confirmed this - more than two hours after the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, notified Nigerians that the ministry had released a new iteration of its website to further facilitate engagement with the activities of the ministry.
The minister had on Wednesday tweeted that “Pending the completion of a standard that will apply to all MDA websites, we have released a new iteration of our Ministry’s website at fmcide.gov.ng to further facilitate engagement with our activities.”
Pending the completion of a standard that will apply to all MDA websites, we have released a new iteration of our Ministry’s website at https://t.co/kATqm7s37w to further facilitate engagement with our activities. pic.twitter.com/t6QQhW1RB4
— Dr. 'Bosun Tijani (@bosuntijani) November 22, 2023
An iteration is a new version of a piece of computer hardware or software.
However, SaharaReporters’ continuous checks on the website of the ministry took about 13 minutes, 33 seconds before the website could open its home page. It takes similar or more time to open when options on the website, https://fmcide.gov.ng//, are clicked.
SaharaReporters had reported in September that the minister vowed to ensure Nigerians enjoyed innovations and growth in the digital economy.
He had also cautioned Nigerians against posting indiscriminately on social media platforms.
"As more Nigerians embrace the digital age," Tijani reminded Nigerians of the need to maintain their personal and sensitive information under the eyes of confidentiality.
He had assured that the government was committed to ensuring that every Nigerian could trust the digital platforms that they used.
According to him, it is not the government's responsibility alone to protect the data of Nigerians. So everyone must ensure that people around them understand the value of their data and how they can protect themselves, he said.