The Federal Government has trained 2,467 youths in four states across Nigeria in the pilot programme of the “Digital State Initiative”.
The states include: Rivers, Lagos, Kano and Gombe States.
The programme is part of the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria, in line with the Economic Sustainability Plan.
The scheme which is driven by the National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA, is aimed at empowering youths with the required digital skills to thrive in the information age.
The Closing Ceremony of the pilot phase of the “Digital State Initiative” was presided over by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami virtually.
Digital jobs
In his keynote address, the Minister called on the beneficiaries to build on the skills they have acquired over the two weeks period of intensive learning, stressing that Covid-19 created thousands of digital jobs where the youths could tap into.
Pantami stated that “there are global opportunities to be tapped into when you possess the required digital skills”, adding that Nigerian youths have proven to the world their innovative and creative talents.
He affirmed that the rebirth of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy under his stewardship is interested in championing a paradigm shift from focusing on paper qualifications to skills acquisition and development.
Youth empowerment
The Director General NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, said the scheme is designed to position the youths to benefit from digital economy, hence beneficiaries were empowered with productivity skills to create content and digital marketing skills which are perquisites to part of digital economy.
“The programme is designed to empower and prepare youths with productivity skills in a digital economy; to use and access digital devices to be able to create content in a digital platform and digital marketing skills because when you create content you need to sell it. The digital economy is a knowledge based economy and the most valuable resource is digital skills”, he said.
Nneka Ukachukwu
