Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
President/CEO of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Professor Mohammed Ajiya, says the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has empowered no fewer than 90,000 Nigerians on digital literacy and ICT compliance.
Professor Ajiya made the disclosure while speaking as a guest of honour at the 2022 edition of the annual Cisco Safari International Conference, organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) on Tuesday.
The conference exemplified NITDA’s strategic alliances with the private sector and corporate bodies for the actualisation of Nigeria’s Digital Economy and IT vision.
It held at the Communication and Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja and had its theme as: “Digital Skills in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Impact on National Development.”
Speaking as one of the foremost institutions in Information Communication Technology in the country, the DBI boss said the empowerment was through the Advanced Digital Appreciation Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) and has led to the empowerment of 90,000 staff of tertiary institutions across the country.
Highlighting the importance of lCT in today’s world, Prof. Ajiya also reminded that DBI, a training institute established by NCC, has its focus on capacity building and manpower development for both government and private organizations especially in the evolving areas of lCT, Telecoms and general skills development for self-sustenance.
He appreciated the support of the NCC under the leadership of the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Prof. U.G Danbatta. He also commended the NITDA for their contributions to the National Development in the area of lCT.
In the same vein, Prof Ajiya commended the strategic effort of the Hon. Minister of Digital Economy and communications Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami who, he said, is leading initiatives towards enabling a self- sustaining lCT sector through impactful policy direction.
He described the Hon. Minister as a workaholic, who compulsively works hard for the upliftment and growth of digital economy in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Hon. Minister of Digital Economy and communications Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami who was the Keynote Speaker at the occasion, noted that “we are championing a paradigm shift in the country leveraging on Technology to give preference and priority to proven skills over paper qualifications, particularly Digital skills.”
He urged CISCO to “establish training academies across Nigeria especially under-served areas in order to empower citizens with the requisite skills required to maintain global relevance.”
He also pointed out that the advent of 4G revolution had given birth to virtual reality that has eclipsed physical reality.
