Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has opined that the Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, would minimise the act of law enforcement agencies nationwide harassing youths carrying laptops.
Pantami disclosed this to State House correspondents after meeting the President who had earlier signed the Start-Up Bill into law on Wednesday.
There have been reports of young Nigerians being detained and harassed by law enforcement officers who misconstrue them for internet fraudsters upon sighting a laptop at their disposal.
This, among other factors, eventually led to the EndSARS protests of October 2020.
Fielding questions on the issue, Pantami stated that with Buhari chairing the Council, Nigerians should expect a quicker response to cases of harassment.
The Start-Up law passed on July 20, 2022 was a bill initiated by the executive arm and seeks to create an enabling environment for tech-based start-ups in Nigeria.
Pantami explained that the law holds enormous benefits for the economy and will aid young start-ups to identify and express their business challenges much easier.
