Nigerian government empowers 100 citizens with digital tools, skills
Na'ankwat Dariem, Abuja
In efforts to consolidate its gains in jobs creation and empowerment, the Nigerian government under the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy has empowered 100 Nigerians with digital tools and skills.
The event which featured the closing ceremony and presentation of Digital tools of the Digital Job Creation Training Programme in Abuja is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic development drive.
In his remarks, Communications Minister Dr Isa Pantami explained that digital skill is not optional but a necessary skill, noting that this is because the IT sector is the key enabler of the economy.
The main point of the event was the presentation of digital tools by the Minister including Laptops, free one year Internet subscription, and cash to 100 beneficiaries.
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Dr Pantami said Health, Security, Agriculture, Education and other sectors of the economy rely on digital Technologies to strive. Speaking on the significance of the programme, he said that digital skill has become a useful competence across sectors reaffirming that the focus of the world today is on skills rather than certificates.
“This is a digital training organized by The Federal Government under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy in order to create more jobs opportunities for our Citizens within and outside the country.
“This is the third one but still we are in the pilot phase, trying to validate the model we have developed. We try to study the existing gaps in the digital world, come up with training to fill the gap. This is what we have been doing, it is all about creating jobs for our Citizens in line with the priority issues of President Muhammad Buhari particularly in the area of economic development.
“Within this period we want to organize Six trainings with a minimum of 100 participants in each Geo-political zones in the Country. When we are comfortable with the training, the same model will be transmitted to all Parastatals; Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone, National Identity Management Commission and others for implementation and to continue with the trainings,” he explained.
Pantami encouraged Nigerians should be patient and be ambitious in digital skill acquisitions.
“To be fair, the only criteria is to be able to read and write, however, the trainings are many, it all depends on the specific training you want to partake. When it is a basic training you only need to be able to read and write, for intermediary training you need the basic knowledge to be available while on advance training you will discover that the requirements, conditions are many, it all depends on the training you want to partake in, but to be fair it is free for all our Citizens,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, in his goodwill message, the Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone, Professor Abubakar Muhammed lauded the Minister for walking the talk by making sure the job creation programme is realised.
Earlier in his opening remarks the Director of Information Communications Technology (ICT), Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Samuel Okoye urged participants to use the acquired digital skills to transform their businesses.
Okoye noted that the training had been able to develop the digital skills of participants in line with the objective of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
He advised the beneficiaries to use the skills learnt to better the Nigerian Society especially the digital space.
One of the participants Saheed Aiyegboka appreciated the Minister for the opportunity, stating that the skills learnt will greatly impact his life.
Similarly, another participant Dorcas Kowa said that she has learned how to operate her business digitally, adding that the opportunity will propel her business exponentially in the internet space.
Nnenna.O
