2024 GOVTECH Awards: Niger State Governor Wins Award

Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State has been recognised as the Digital Governor of the Year in the digital literacy category at the 2024 Nigeria GOVTECH Conference and Awards.

The event, organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, honoured Bago’s efforts in advancing digital literacy and leveraging technology to improve governance and service delivery in the state.

Represented by his deputy, Mr. Yakubu Garba, Bago congratulated other award recipients and expressed appreciation to the event organizers, sponsors, and development partners for their support. He conveyed his gratitude for the recognition and pledged to continue fostering technology adoption across all sectors to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Notable digital literacy achievements of Bago’s administration include training market traders and artisans in technology use through Hausa and Pidgin English.

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Additionally, children aged 10 to 18 have been trained in robotics, the Internet of Things, and programming. The state has also partnered with Tech4Dev to provide IT training for civil servants.

Further initiatives include collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council to equip SMEs with eCommerce skills to boost exports, as well as training programs for women under the “TechSis” initiative.

Other key efforts include IT training for commissioners, permanent secretaries, and special advisers for improved service delivery, open-source intelligence training for journalists to combat fake news, and the digitalisation of the civil service recruitment process.

Bago also announced the establishment of the Ministry for Communication Technology and Digital Economy, alongside an agency for green initiatives—the first of its kind at the sub-national level.

NAN/Chidimma Gold