Kashifu Inuwa, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has urged youths in Jigawa State to embrace Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills, emphasizing its strategic importance in driving the nation’s digital economy.
Inuwa made the call during the flag-off of a capacity-building training program sponsored by the state government for 1000 youths in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State.
The training program, organized through collaboration between the Jigawa State government, NITDA, Base University, and IDEAS Hub, facilitated by the Jigawa State Development Agency for Youth Empowerment and Employment, aims to equip youths with essential skills to explore economic opportunities for accelerated development.
Inuwa emphasized the shift from paper qualifications to skills in today’s world, highlighting the necessity for youths to embrace ICT skills for sustainable development and self-reliance.
He stated, “This training of the one thousand youths in Jigawa on skills in emerging technologies will enable the state to recover its lost glory as the leading state in the ICT sector of Nigeria in the early 2000s.”
Furthermore, the NITDA Director General pledged continued partnership with state governments across the country to expand digital literacy and propel the national digital economy to combat poverty and related challenges.
Governor Umar Namadi, represented by the state’s Deputy Governor, Aminu Usman Gumel, commended NITDA for its intervention programs in the state, noting their significant impact in less than a year in office.
Other speakers, including Dr. Habibu Ubale, Director General of Jigawa State Agency for Youth Empowerment and Employment, and representatives from collaborating organizations, emphasized the role of ICT skills in enhancing sustainable economic development.
The training, focusing on areas such as Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Software Development, aims to cultivate young talents to lead digital development in Jigawa State and Nigeria as a whole.
