TECHDIGEST – As part of effort to achieve a mandate of 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030 and powering the economic resilience of Nigeria through effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, (MOU) with the Computer Information System Company (CISCO) aimed at promoting digital transformation as well as bridging the digital skills gap in the country.

The agreement which was signed at the CISCO Networking Academy for Europe Middle East Africa (EMEA) Partner Conference in Paris was sanctioned by the NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE and the Vice President of CISCO Middle East & Africa, Reem Asaad in the presence of other industry stakeholders in the world.

In strengthening the Agency’s efforts in bridging the digital skills gap in the country, the MOU signed between the two organisations is expected to support the nation’s digital transformation agenda and contribute to digital skills training and development.

The CISCO Networking Academy is an IT skill-to-jobs program that ensures collaboration between public-private partnerships in offering digital skills training through high-quality curriculum and inclusive workforce development programmes.

The signed MOU forms part of CISCO’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program, which will ensure that the CISCO Networking Academy program is promoted and expanded to benefit the country and its citizenry.

The strategic collaboration between the two organisations would ensure sustainability to other elements of national digital agenda and create exceptional value for the country, its industries and its citizens.

Inuwa, who was represented by the Agency’s Acting Director, Digital Literacy and Capacity Development Department, Dr. Amina Sambo, said that “by collaborating with industry leaders like CISCO, we can empower and equip Nigerians with the knowledge and resources they need to participate in the national and global digital economies”.

In addition to the various infrastructural and innovative initiatives deployed by NITDA in the country, the MOU would ensure that CISCO deploys initiatives that will enable entrepreneurs in the country to gain new skills, innovate and build customer connections.

The CISCO Incubation and Innovation Centre known as the CISCO Earn, Design, Go to Market, Earn (EDGE) will be used to stimulate innovation and support digitization initiatives thereby providing a space where entrepreneurs in the country can showcase technologies.

It will further provide resources and tools to indigenous innovators and entrepreneurs in the country to help them develop more secure, intelligent and connected solutions.

Expressing her excitement at working with NITDA in accelerating digitisation in Nigeria, Reem asserted that CISCO has a responsibility to its customers and the global community to help them solve challenges impacting lives.

“Cisco Networking Academy is a powerful force for change. This initiative will unlock equitable opportunities for education and career connections to diverse communities. The focus on networking and cyber security will place learners at the forefront of innovation, equipping them with in-demand skills to develop ideas that will power the future,” she added.
The highlight of the programme was the conferment of the prestigious CISCO Golden Bridge Award on NITDA in recognition of the extraordinary contributions of the Director General, Kashifu Inuwa.

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TECHDIGEST – The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, has virtually inaugurated Volunteers Expert Groups (VEGs) for the National Digital Skills Strategy (NDSS), aimed at positioning Nigeria as a global digital talent factory capable of filling the 85 million talent deficit as predicted by Korn Ferry in its report titled the $8.5 trillion talent shortage by 2030.
The NITDA Boss stated that it is a momentous milestone in our efforts to harmoniously engage with vibrant and talented experts across different IT domains, aimed at co-creating the NDSS.

He urged them to come-up with a comprehensive strategy for setting up standards and developing Digital Literacy & Skills in the country, as well as develop IT professional skills of different proficiency levels.

Inuwa reiterated on four (4) competitive advantages Nigeria has of becoming an ideal nation to take the unfilled job opportunities, as Nigeria has the largest population of youths in the world. The Nigerian government recognizes the importance of digital skills and is supporting it through investing in capacity building while implementing policies to promote digital inclusion by creating an enabling environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.

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Furthermore, he said, “Nigerians are talented, ambitious, and willing to learn and connect to the global value chain. The Nigerian digital economy is one of the fastest-growing economy in the world with an annual growth rate of 15 percent. This high growth rate suggests that there are ample opportunities to benefit from it.”

The NITDA Boss asserted that the National Digital Skills and Strategy (NDSS) will focus on balancing the gaps between the digital skills supply pipeline and in-demand skill sets required for the future of work.

Speaking earlier in her welcoming address, the Acting Director, Digital Literacy and Capacity Building Department, Dr. Amina Sambo Magaji, stated that there was an open call application for Nigerians, both at home and abroad, to apply for the NDSS VEG. A rigorous screening process was used to identify key people who are experts and will be able to add value into the strategy. The selected persons have built expertise within their own different ecosystems or workgroup, either in building their skills, or in skills of developing strategies, or building ecosystems specifically in the technology and innovation ecosystem.

She said, “the VEG has been grouped into four (4) clusters namely: Digital Literacy Cluster, Digital Capacity Cluster, IT Professional Cluster and M&E Funding & Partnership Cluster, consisting of the Lead, Deputy Lead and Members.”

Explaining further, she said, the digital literacy cluster focuses on basics and foundation, while the digital capacity focuses on IT or Non-IT professional skills.

The IT professional cluster focuses on Technology skills such as coding and non-coding skills, and the final cluster which is the M&E Funding & partnership cluster work with all the 3 clusters by monitoring and evaluating the initiatives, the policies and the incentives within the documents as well as seek for fund and partnership.

Mr Niran Oyekale from Commit Consult Ltd, and the lead of Digital Literacy Cluster, appreciated the DG for changing the narrative of the digital space. “It is during your tenure as the DG NITDA that Nigeria actually is going to benefit from a strategic plan to empower Nigerians and make Nigeria very comfortable, competent and confident to move smoothly into the digital space”, he stated.

Mr Ifeanyi Emmanuel Okafor from Teeside University, and the lead of the IT Professional Cluster, assured the DG that this dream is a wonderful one and it will go down as one of the greatest creations in the history of our country. He commended the DG for his commitment and solicited for more support.

Mr Charles Emembolu from Techquest Stem Academy, and the lead of the Digital Capacity Building Cluster, applauded the DG for his relentless efforts in working with Nigerian Startups towards the achievement of the National Digital Skill Scheme. He commended the agency’s team for the zeal, efforts, guidance, and support rendered.

The lead for the M&E, Funding & Partnership Cluster, Mr. Sam Emmanuel, from Semicolon, equally appreciated this opportunity given to him to contribute his quota in the establishment of the National Digital Skill Strategy.

Being a national document, the outcome of the VEG activities will be further developed with key government stakeholders that will be part of bringing the strategy to life before commencing on a wider socialization.

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TECHDIGEST – The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE has encouraged girls and women with relevant technological abilities to harness their potential by upscaling their skills in order to close the digital gender gap in the country.

The DG who was represented by the Deputy Director, Digital Economy Department, Dr. Amina Sambo threw open the challenge at the 10th Year Anniversary of the Nigeria Women in Information Technology, (NIWIIT) National Conference in Lagos.

Inuwa, in his goodwill message on the theme “Unleashing Innovation: Scaling Up Digital Skills for Women and Girls” noted that bringing women to speed in the Nation’s digital economy journey is critical to the country’s long-term prosperity.

“Women and girls account for more than 50% of our population. At this age, building the digital skills of this population is one of the most strategic and wisest things any Government could embark on to unleash innovation in entrepreneurship and other frontiers for social and economic growth”.

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The NITDA DG while commending the organizers for bringing the digital gender divide concerns to the front burner at it’s 7th National Conference, was optimistic that the panel discussion sessions will give great insights into creative approaches toward building the digital skills of the women in the most impactful manner.

He averred that that the ongoing efforts will not only help the country to prepare girls and women for future opportunities but also for global competitiveness.

Inuwa who made reference to the African Developer Ecosystem report, quoted that “Female career growth was heavily impacted as childcare and home responsibilities increased during COVID-19 lockdown.’’

The Director-General observed that women and girls are faced with fewer opportunities to develop and explore the heights of their potential, which are mostly attributed to limited support and placements for them, physiological reasons, and perceived relegation of women folk to home keeping and childbearing; thereby truncating the potentials women carry, long before they can be developed.

“These realities remain more dominant in the developing countries of the world. While women in first-world countries also deal with problems of career resilience, their counterparts in poorer countries have the other hurdles of poverty, poor healthcare, and low standard of living, to deal with on a daily basis, thereby depriving them of a conducive environment to develop their potential”.

The NITDA Boss however expressed confidence in the possibility of changing the narrative with the growth in digital technology penetration and consumption in Nigeria; stressing that to fully harness the opportunities that abound, however requires reorientation, contemporary training in digital literacy and skills, and training that will equip women and girls with the digital skills they need to participate in the ever-growing global digital economy which Oxford Economics values at $11.5 trillion dollars or approximately 16% of the Global Economy.

“Digital solutions and the requisite digital skills have the potential to create opportunities for women to make a difference in society and earn industry-standard fees for making such services available, further positioning themselves to export their skills internationally as real drivers of change”.

Having understood the potential of the value women can create, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Inuwa said has been making significant strides to empower women in developing digital skills through the creation of various capacity building programmes and initiatives to support digital entrepreneurship in women and also accelerate the achievement of the objectives of its digital literacy and skills strategy.

“We give women and girls special consideration in all of our initiatives and programmes. Women should not be discouraged; there are favourable reports about girls and women’s development. Therefore, there is a need to continue creating and strengthening awareness and preparing our women and girls for the challenge of today and preparing them for tomorrow’s opportunities”, the DG stressed.

Inuwa who maintained that the rapid rise of digital consumption in Nigeria has created a gap in the supply chain that highly skilled and trained women and girls in IT can fill, charged NIWIIT to create awareness of the need to continually build the digital skills needed to harness opportunities and create value that never existed before through innovations.

He assured the group that the Agency is happy to be associated with the platform and will do it’s best to support the implementation of the conference’s recommendations in order to unleash spurge digital entrepreneurship innovations for everyone’s social and economic development.

The President of the Nigerian Women in Information Technology (NIWIIT), Dele Bayo-Osibo while asserting that inclusion is the currency of the moment, in general and digital inclusion in particular, affirmed that the urgency to be included in the moving train cannot be overemphasized and must be intentional.

“NIWIIT must take on the baton and contribute her quota to this clarion opportunity for building the Nation of the future”, she added.

The NITWIT President expressed appreciation to NITDA and other collaborators for identifying with the platform and it’s projections.

Other speakers also added their voices to the dire need of closing the digital gender gap for the collective prosperity of all, irrespective of gender, tribe, or political affiliations.

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