As part of its plan to expand the tech ecosystem through capacity development and knowledge empowerment, the National Information Technology Development Agency’s (NITDA) has opened a Virtual Academy targeting civil servants, public institutions, students of secondary and higher institutions, job hunters and the academia as well as the general public.PLACE YOUR ADVERT HERE
The Academy which was commissioned virtually by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami will prepare participants online for the new challenges ahead with requisite skills required to operate in digital economy and particularly during this crisis of COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking shortly before Commissioning the Academy, the Minister said that the initiative was in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy NDEP of the Federal Government.
He explained that the policy is to ensure that capacity of Nigerians are built digitally in the area of emerging technology, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, robotic, internet of things and data analytics.
Pantami disclosed that the digital learning programme was created to encourage continuous virtual learning for public officers and the citizens in general during the lockdown without attending any lectures physically adding that is to build the nation’s capacity, particularly the youths, in order to create digitally marketable skills.
He also said that the Ministry, during the lockdown, created a platform for citizens to enroll in courses related to emerging technologies and has so far, in less than two weeks, recorded over 12,800 participants.
The Director General of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Abdullahi said that plans the Academy were already on top gear before the pandemic eventually struck saying, that “the virtual learning platform was conceptualized and executed during the lockdown following the Minister’s directives that virtual learning environment be created to engage the citizen and make their stay at home meaningful and productive”.
He said that NITDA is partnering CISCO, Hauwei, Microsoft, Harvard University and Oracle saying that NITDA are promoting digital strategy for the post COVID-19 world by ensuring that the agency did not relent in providing IT support to Nigerians.
The Director, IT Infrastructure Solutions of NITDA, Dr. Usman Gambo said the agency developed the vocational training platform with new curriculums to build capacity and develop skills of Nigerians in emerging IT sectors, and to drastically reduce the unemployment rate in the country.