In a major effort to advance digital literacy, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has launched a nationwide initiative.
This program, which aligns with NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) under the pillar “Foster Digital Literacy and Cultivate Talents,” aims to bridge the digital divide and equip Nigerian youth with essential digital skills.
The partnership, formalized at the NYSC Secretariat in Abuja, supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to reform the economy through sustained inclusive growth by leveraging digital literacy and developing tech talent.
Targeting 30 million Nigerian youths, including NYSC members, the initiative will provide practical training in software development, data analytics, cybersecurity, and digital marketing, with the goal of preparing them for the digital economy by 2027.
Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, highlighted the importance of digital skills for enhancing productivity.
In his words: “We have set up the team working with your team to explore how you can infuse technology into the NYSC process, experiment emerging technologies like blockchain to secure NYSC certificates and build digital skills capacity among Corp Members. Today we are here on the bigger mission.”
Inuwa referenced global research predicting a deficit of 85 million skilled workers by 2030, potentially costing 8.5 trillion US dollars annually if unaddressed.
He emphasized that this initiative will boost employability and drive innovation and economic growth in Nigeria.
“We developed the National Digital Literacy Framework with an ambitious target of achieving 95% digital literacy by 2030, with a mid-term target of 70% by 2027. The framework promotes universal access to digital literacy, skills development at various proficiency levels, and workforce readiness for future digital demands,” he added.
The implementation plan includes training Corps Members during their service year and using them as digital literacy ambassadors nationwide.
Inuwa further explained; “Our target is how can we leverage your platform to deepen that digital literacy. The initiative will involve onboarding Corps Members on digital platforms, providing continuous learning opportunities, and selecting ambassadors to teach digital skills in their communities.”
Minister of State for Youth, Ayodele Olawande Wisdom, also praised the collaboration, emphasizing the importance of unified efforts in achieving shared goals.
“I appreciate this collaboration because I believe we are one family and we are working towards the same goal. Regardless of where you come from, as long as, at the end of the day, the Nigerian youth are in a better position from where they are coming from, that is what is important,” he stated.
The Minister expressed gratitude for the dedication of all parties involved and commended the NYSC’s leadership for their commitment. Brig Gen YD Ahmed, Director General of NYSC, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, assuring full engagement and collaboration.
“This process for us in NYSC is a very good one, and there is no any iota of doubt we are going to fully collaborate with NITDA to grab the process,” he affirmed.
