National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has stated its preparedness to train over 10,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on digital literacy to enable them to seamless reintegrate into the society.
Director General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi,disclosed this while playing host to Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs (NCFRMI) at NITDA Headquarters in Abuja.
He explained that the training IDPs on digital literacy is part of the implementation of NITDA’s Strategic RoadMap and Action Plan, (SRAP 2021-2024) to enable a fast-growing digital economy for Nigerians.
“Education being an important identifiable tool of allievating poverty in the President Muhammed Buhari’s Administration has been actively employed by NITDA positively,” he said.
He noted that, “employing Digital Literacy and Skills strategy, one of the seven pillars of NITDA SRAP is in line with the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) which promotes the use of digital technology to expand and diversify Nigeria’s economy.”
“Following a methodological approach is necessary to achieve a SMART initiative. A combination of capable people, due process and deployment of adequate technology are required”, he said.
Explaining some of NITDA’s intervention projects, especially in capacity building, Abdullahi noted that the Agency has continuously engaged in several trainings across the six geopolitical zones of the country with the use of different platforms both virtual and physical training.
He disclosed that NITDA is willing to support the Commission with working tools and conduct IT trainings for its staff while also assuring the team of NITDA’s collaboration.
He said a Digital Transformation Technical Working Group (DTTWG) comprising members from both organisations would be set up to enable the execution of identified aspects of partnership.
In her remarks, the NCFRMI Federal Commissioner, Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, said her organisation was seeking collaboration with NITDA in the areas of training, technical and tool support to promote digital inclusion and national development.
Ibrahim revealed that over four million Nigerians are internally displaced, adding that the number is doubling at an alarming rate, due to natural disaster occasioned by flood.
The Federal Commissioner expressed optimism that NITDA’s move to train teeming youths at the IDPs would contribute to the diversification of the Nigerian economy.
