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As COVID-19 persists, the National Information Technology Agency (NITDA), is working round the pandemic to build tech skills in thousands of young people, said the agency’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi at an online conversation organised this week by the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) on the socio-economic and political impact of COVID19 on telecom and ICT sector in Nigeria.
According to Abdullahi, over 14,000 students are actively learning about 47 different courses cut across emerging technologies including cloud computing, and artificial intelligence among others in NITDA Academy. The virtual learning space was launched last month by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
Abdullahi revealed that it was under the directive of Dr Pantami that “the agency conceptualised, executed and launched a NITDA Virtual Learning platform with the aim to help engage young citizens to spend their time meaningfully and learn new technologies that will help create and shape the post-COVID era.”
The well attended event by ATCON drew participation from stakeholders within and outside the country as they deliberated on how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the economy, particularly the ICT sector.
Abdullahi expressed optimism that the pandemic which has altered people’s behaviour to adapt new social and business habits will be soon be a thing of the past.
His words: “Coronavirus has forced us to change our behaviour and adapt to new habits. New trends have emerged, we do everything remotely; working, learning, meeting, workshops, zoom party, e-wedding, and so on”, he noted.
The DG averred that NITDA has successfully organised various programmes, which among others is COVID-19 Innovation Challenge designed to help in thinking within the box and come up with ideas that can contain and cushion the effect of the virus as well as keep the economy up and running.
“We are working with the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 and Nigerian Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) to identify some of the ideas they think are relevant for them , so they can be used as a testing ground to help these start-ups develop their ideas into products”, he said.
“The Challenge had over 2000 applicant and 5 start-ups were selected for pitching at the Open Demo and Prize Giving Day; three of them emerged winners and went home their prizes,” he added.
Abdullahi stressed that it is part of the agency’s initiatives to identify youths with innovative ideas, take them to innovation hubs, incubate and accelerate their ideas into a product or services through NITDA Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support Scheme.
He said “part of the recommendation of the Tech for COVID-19 covers what we do, and we are working with relevant stakeholders to identify hubs as well as start-ups that can enjoy this initiative.”
While commenting on using new technologies in farming, the NITDA’s boss said tthat the Nigerian Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA), will encourage farmers to focus more on digital platforms and precision smart farming.
“To ensure significant improvement in crop yield, quality of farm produce, efficiency and productivity, increased profit margin, harvest focus, sales of farm produce and eco-friendly agricultural practice. We are working with 150 farmers to start the pilot project, because the agriculture value chain contributed the highest percentage to our GDP and ICT as an enabler can help boost its projection,” he added.
