TECH DIGEST –  All critical sectors of the society are experiencing the spectacular impact of digital technology in several different ways. The disruptive power of digital technology is pervasive across every area of human endeavour; it generates creative and innovative solutions to problems facing the people and their environments.

Most industries are adapting to the evolving trends that come with digital technology and innovation. The media industry happens to be the most affected, owing to the massive proliferation of digital devices.

The increase in mobile devices has brought a remarkable shift in how the media creates and distributes content. As a result, media practitioners in Nigeria are taking steps to hone their skills for optimal performance in the digital age.

This was the premise upon which a crop of digital-savvy media practitioners and social media influencers converged on Kano, the ancient Pyramid City. Also in attendance were some film producers from the city’s movie industry, popularly known as Kannywood.

Drawn from various media organisations operating in the Northern States, the practitioners were participants at a media workshop for journalists and social media influencers.

The two-day event was organised by Arewa Agenda, a frontline online publication and PRNigeria Centre, with the support of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA),  and it had as theme, “Setting the Digital Reporting Agenda for a Digital Nigeria.”

Resource persons with vast professional experience in media and digital technology imparted practical knowledge to equip journalists and social media influencers with the skills to use technological tools for reportage and the creation of relevant content.

A presentation titled “Digital Inclusion and the Global Realities” noted that the digital inclusion of more individuals and communities would guarantee access to and use of information and communications technology tools to generate, store and process data for guaranteed economic, social and political empowerment.

Thus, digital inclusion is inevitable for the successful implementation of Nigeria’s digital economy, where the delivery of quality services, high efficiencies and productivity thrive across all sectors.

The first day ended with the presentation, “Global Trends: Social Media for Advocacy” by Ali Isa, founder of Advocacy for Development Initiative, which highlighted digital advocacy and the tools necessary to achieve targeted outcomes.

It pointed out the purpose of this sort of advocacy and the skills need to effectively deploy social media to drive change and development.

In view of the ever-changing nature of social media, participants were advised to continuously evaluate their social media plans, while maximising their reach and audience engagement in order to achieve set goals for specific digital advocacy campaigns.

Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad of the Kano Institute of Information Technology started the presentations on the second day with a paper, “Entrepreneurship Skills for Digital Economy”, which explained the multi-dimensional skills necessary for building wealth in a digital economy.

He highlighted the basic and advanced levels of digital skills required for building the capacity of citizens, so as to gainfully apply them in the digital era.
In his paper, “Networking and Work Plan”, Musa Abdullahi Sufi, Programme Coordinator at The Challenge Initiative, harped on the importance of networking among media practitioners and social media influencers towards shaping the digital reporting agenda for a new Nigeria powered by digital technology.

The paper, “Journalism for Digital Inclusion”, presented by Mallam Yushau Shuaib, award-winning PR expert and Editor-in-Chief of PRNigeria, urged the participants to always be guided by the ethics of the media profession and practice of journalism. This would help to reduce the expanding wave of fake news, disinformation and misinformation that is plaguing Nigeria and the world at large.

According to him, journalists and social media influencers should focus on reporting issues on the basis of facts and not sentiments, which are capable of affecting the peace and progress of the country.

He observed that media practitioners must adapt to evolving digital technologies to influence their different audience by producing relevant content for advancing development in our communities.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the sponsor of the workshop, was ably represented by its Head of Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Mrs. Hadiza Umar.

Mrs Umar advised journalists and social media influencers to demonstrate professionalism toward setting a new digital agenda in the discharge of their responsibilities as key players in the march to the digitisation of Nigeria.
She enumerated the several intervention programmes embarked upon by NITDA across educational institutions and communities in different states of the federation as part of its mandate of promoting the use and development of information technology in all sectors of the economy.

NITDA’s image-maker expressed satisfaction with the new and increasing motivation for the acquisition of digital literacy/skills by the teeming youths of the country in different spheres of human endeavour.

This, she noted, is testimony that many individuals and communities are favourably disposed to the opportunities offered by digital technology.

The highpoint of the event was the unveiling of the Network for Advocates of Digital Reporting (NADIR) established as a forum for coordinating advocacies of journalists and social media influencers in northern Nigeria.

To wrap up the workshop, participants called on the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and NITDA to intensify effort towards ensuring digital inclusivity to allow more people into the social media space in the country.

Furthermore, the participants committed themselves to serve as change agents in the vanguard of using social media for the promotion of social/behavioural change and development of the region and the country in general.

In the final analysis, NITDA should sustain awareness creation programmes in all parts of the country in order to enhance digital literacy for guaranteed growth, as digital inclusion does not only empower the people, but it also makes the future brighter for everyone.

Inyene Ibanga writes from Wuye District, Abuja.

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TECH DIGEST – National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Arewa Agenda, a sub body of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMP) has organized a two day workshop on Digital Reporting for journalists and social media influencers across the Northern states.
The workshop which held in Kano on 6th and 7th April 2021, focused on helping Northern journalists, social media influencers to improve their work as well as to train them on professional reportage.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after that workshop, Head of Corporate Affairs at NITDA, Hadiza Umar called on media practitioners to upheld professionalism in reporting.

Hajia Hadiza Umar, Head of Corporate Affairs NITDA while speaking to the journalist.
Hadiza called on social media influencers and journalists to embrace the new normal of using digital skills in their work.

She highlighted some of the achievements recorded under leadership Kashifu Inuwa, the National Director General of the Agency that they have established over 12 intervention projects across the federation.
Alhaji Yusha’u Shu’aibu, a facilitator of the workshop and Editor-in-chief of the PR Nigeria, says the workshop was aimed at improving the use of ICT to practice good journalism.

One of the facilitators at the workshop, Musa Abdullahi Sufi spoke on the ways journalists and social media influencers will enhance their means of creating wealth and portraying the good side of Nigeria in the eyes of International communities through proper usage of digital media.

Bashir Masa is one of the participants at the workshop, he shared his experience to newsmen and pledged to apply digital skills in his reportage.

He said the training would further enhance his capacity on information sharing in a digital form and help him impact on people’s lives through good advocacy.
Over 40 journalists who graced training accepted a certificate of attendance from the organizers of the workshop

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TECH DIGEST – A group of young writers and journalists from Northern Nigeria, have lamented the under utilization of ICT Centers across the North, which were established by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to develop the capacity of youths on modern technological skills.

The youths were drawn from Arewa Agenda, and Paradigm Initiative, Northwest Zone.

At a press briefing on Sunday in Kano, Convener of Arewa Agenda, Mohammed Dahiru Lawal, and the Program Assistant for Paradigm Initiative, Sani Suleiman Sani, both observed that if the lapse is not corrected by those concerned, it will place the North at a disadvantage in accessing digital opportunities for digital inclusion towards a digital economy.

They said with the rising unemployment rate in Nigeria, digital entrepreneurship is yet to be fully exploited by the majority of Northern Youths, given its potential to become an engine of economic transformation in the Country.

“It is true that the capabilities and skills required to use various forms of digital technologies remain limited to a small segment of the population coupled with the fact that about 60 million Nigerian adults are without access to a formal account which is a prerequisite for digital financial services, stalling the country’s journey toward financial inclusion and access to digital Economy opportunities is narrowed to a slim share of the population.

“That is why strategic ICT based investments and innovations especially the ones being championed by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) under the supervision of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, is bridging this gap especially with massive investments in digital infrastructure, digital platforms, digital financial services, digital entrepreneurship and digital skills, all key fundamental elements of a digital economy,” they added.

While calling on stakeholders such as religious leaders, political actors, and traditional leaders to key into the sensitization effort, Lawal and Sani, urged Northern youths to take advantage of NITDA’s offerings to learn computing technology skills that will enable them imbibe the culture of digital entrepreneurship leading to a rebust Digital Economy as Northern States are already backward in accessing Digital Opportunities.

The Group also tasked Northern Governors to compliment the Federal Government Digital Economy efforts through the activities of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), by having a delibrate plan, allocation and releases of resources to support digital Transformation.

They maintained that anyone that wants to participate in global jobs of this generation must learn computing and data analysis skills for an inclusive digital future.

Arewa Agenda reports that the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has established over 1,000 ICT centers across the country, ICT Innovation and Incubation hubs strategically located in States including Kano, Katsina, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Gombe among others and twelve virtual libraries in Nigerian universities aimed at developing youths potentials on modern technological skills.

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TECH DIGEST – The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called on youths to utilize the over 1,000 ICT centers established by the agency to develop them on modern technological skills.

The NITDA’s Spokesperson and Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Hajiya Hadiza Umar made the call when she received members of the Arewa Agenda for sustainable development in her office.

While lamenting non-utilization of some centers, she called on Nigerians youths to exploit their talent towards critical thinking and innovation for economic growth.

She said: “The ICT centres were established to encourage, educate and motivate Nigerians youth on abundant potentials in innovative and technological skills.

“The centres are adequately provided with tools for skill acquisitions to empower youth beneficiaries towards self-reliant and independent on job creation.”

Hajiya Hadiza revealed that the agency had trained over 150,000 Nigerians ICT including computer and phone repairs, in 2020.

She also disclosed that NITDA have established ICT Innovation and Incubation strategically located across the country including Kano, Katsina, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Gombe among others and twelve virtual libraries in Nigerian universities.

PRNigeria recalls that empowering Nigerians with ICT skills towards a sustainable digital economy, working with the education ministry to incorporate ICT into schools curriculum, establishment of virtual libraries, hubs and ICT Centers, ICT Trainings for MDAs and establishing ICT Departments in all MDAs to curb corruption and make work easier is part of some achievement of the Agency.

In his remarks, the Managing Editor and Convener of Arewa Agenda, Muhammadu Dahiru Lawal commended NITDA for various interventions programme and projects acrosss the federation and hope the agency would support their platform.

Dahiru said Arewa Agenda as a Youth-nationalist media action movement desires to consolidate growth and development from the Northern extraction through stakeholders’ partnerships and coordinated actions aimed at fostering regional cum National Development.

He said: “At Arewa Agenda we initiated a Business Incubator platform, a creative ventures hub that would provide guidance and mentorship for young start-ups and individuals with creative and bankable ideas to develop but lacks sense of direction. WE are therefore seeking experienced facilitators and mentors in business development and innovation on ICT that is why we in NITDA for supports on facilitators and tools.

“It may interest you to note that the multi-award winning PR firm in Africa, Image Merchants Promotion Limited and TechDigest magazine are some of our major partners on this project. We intend to submit our Concept Note to the ever-focused and inspiring Director General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa for supports, and intervention” he concluded.

By PRNigeria

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