Nigeria’s Economic Future Hinges on Digital Skills Development – Microsoft

Microsoft, a leading technology company, has emphasized the crucial role of digital skills development in driving Nigeria’s economic growth.

The Country Manager of Microsoft Nigeria, Ola Williams, highlighted this in a statement issued in Lagos, South-West Nigeria.

According to Williams, Africa’s youthful population presents an opportunity to become a global hub for tech skills. However, she stressed the importance of bridging the digital skills gap to realize this potential.

She noted that by 2030, Africa would account for one-fifth of the global workforce and one-third of the youth workforce, making digital skills development essential.

“Digital literacy must be the starting point. Employers globally are looking for workers with advanced digital skills, and 70 percent of this demand will come from occupations outside ICT specializations.

“Microsoft Nigeria has launched several initiatives to address this challenge. The Global Skills Initiative, launched in 2021, has engaged 196,000 learners in Nigeria, providing access to digital skills training.

“The company has also partnered with the African Development Bank and the Nigerian Government to launch the Digital Nigeria eLearning Platform.

“The platform has recorded 125,000 enrolled learners and 111,000 course completions,” she said.

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Microsoft is focused on developing digital literacy, entrepreneurial skills, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) expertise.

Williams further noted that Microsoft Nigeria has collaborated with local telecom providers like MTN to provide four million Nigerians with free tech training content.

“The company’s FAST Accelerator program, in partnership with Flapmax, aims to support startups and SMEs by providing cutting-edge technologies, comprehensive skills development, and business strategies.

“Microsoft Nigeria has also partnered with Zindi, a leading African AI community, to advance digital skilling across the continent,” she added.

Williams emphasized the importance of developing AI skills, noting that AI is a defining technology of the moment.

She stated that capturing just 10 percent of the global AI market could expand Africa’s economy by 50 percent.

She affirmed that the company’s efforts align with the Federal Government’s drive to promote a digital economy and innovation.

“Microsoft is partnering with the government of Nigeria to accelerate the country’s digital transformation, with a commitment to upskilling five million people in Nigeria and creating over 27,000 new digital jobs.

“To date, our skilling initiatives have reached 1,164,815 people, with 89,946 Microsoft certifications completed,” Williams added.