Digital for All 2.0 launched in Abuja

Angela Agbegir, Abuja

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As part of activities to celebrate the International Day of Education, Tech4Dev – a non-profit social enterprise – unveiled the Digital for All 2.0 in Abuja.

The initiative is targeted at rewarding  self-development and encourage the acquisition and use of digital skills through competitive incentives.

The first edition of the initiative witnessed over 17,000 participants from across Nigeria being equipped with Basic and Advanced Digital Skills while progressing on to hone their acquired skills and become gainfully employed by multinational organizations.

Joel Ogunsola, founder of Tech4Dev, said the second launch would create an inclusive digital ecosystem that empowers individuals, communities, and nations to thrive in the digital age.

The initiative “Digital for All 2.0” carries a 150-million-naira cash prize which can only be accessed after an individual goes through the learning process,” he said.

It is certified- it entails a 6-month learning phase, 2 months for challenges and post-learning outcomes for people who make it through to the intermediate skilling category.”

He acknowledged that there is a digital gap in Nigeria however the initiative was structured for everyone to be carried along through Nigeria’s new digital transformation movement, from primary school children to civil servants in the public sector.

It must be noted that the average public servant must understand that technology must work with people and that people must have the right skill set. Public servants must come to understand that technology is a tool to enhance productivity and not to put them out of jobs,” Ogunsola emphasized.

Institutional backing

At present, the Digital for All 2.0 has the institutional support of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and a host of others.

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said the agency’s role was to drive the vehicle, provide the content and incentivise participants.
Drawing enthusiasm from the success of the first launch, Abdulahi said NITDA will also donate learning centres to public schools that performed exceptionally well and devices for overachieving students.

NITDA is positioning itself to be an active shaper of Artificial Intelligence AI, as the future is here right now. He said they are investing greatly in training, providing grants and research for AI and encouraging people to build solutions;” he said.

We are building AI assistance, so it can augment productivity and increase efficiency within service delivery.”

Speaking on regulations, he said Nigeria joined the race about three years ago by establishing a National Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Centre for training, it had also developed an AI policy but the minister has requested that the scope be widened to include grants.

Idongesit Udoh, Country Lead, Digital Access Programme at the British Deputy High Commission stated that Nigeria’s digital space is growing and it has contributed significantly by being one of the fastest-growing sectors.

He said the collaboration with the “DigitalForAll2.0” challenge, as well as the NITDA, Tech4dEV, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy are all key sectoral stakeholders, who are coming together to support advanced digital learning skills and push the empowerment of women, children, girls, people living with disabilities, underserved communities, and people who lack basic digital skills.

The concept of “Digital for All” goes beyond simply providing access to technology.

It envisions creating an inclusive digital ecosystem that empowers individuals, communities, and nations to thrive in the digital age.

This involves addressing multiple dimensions of the digital divide: Access to Infrastructure, Digital Literacy, creation and fostering of local content and languages and inclusive policies that prioritize digital inclusion, ensuring that marginalized groups, including women and people with disabilities, are not left behind.

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