The Ministry of Innovation & Technology is revising its 15-year-old policy in a bid to digitise the nation's economy.

Revising the national science, technology and innovation policy in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD), the Ministry aspires to lead the economy toward tech-led growth.

Failure to align with different sectors, coordinate the sectors and support the nation's move toward the industrial economy as well as an inability to comply with the current economic reforms are the major reasons for the revision of the existing policy, according to Desta Abera, director of policy, strategy and future planning in the Ministry.

The first policy was enacted in 2004 when the government announced a shift in the economic revolution. It identified 11 directions including technology transfer, human resource building, manufacturing and finance. It is also criticised rote adoption of technologies from abroad rather than indigenous innovation.

“The policy focuses more on introducing the sector to the country as it was new for the country then,” Shumet Gizaw (PhD), state minister for the Ministry, told Fortune. “It doesn't even match with the current situation of the country.”

The new policy will be focusing on 24 sectors including agriculture, textiles and information technology. Hence, the UN-organ UNCTAD is assessing 50 sectors including SMEs, manufacturing and foreign direct investment that need to be digitised.

UNCTAD, which helped 13 countries including Rwanda and Kenya in reviewing their science, technology and innovation policy since 2007, is expected to submit the final assessment to the Ministry in two months.

The Ministry itself is also conducting a prior assessment for the revision. Finally, the two assessments will be merged to come out as a final draft policy to be sent to the Council of Ministers for approval. The Policy is expected to be approved and implemented starting September.

A council, which has members from ministries and the private sector, was formed to follow up and facilitate the revision and implementation process.

Upon approval, the Ministry of Innovation & Technology will take the lead for carrying out the policy in all sectors and industries.