FG to train one million application developers in 18 months

• NITDA secures N300m grant for startups

TGovernment is to train one million Nigerians in various application ( apps) development in the next 18 months.

National Information Technology Development Agency ( NITDA), the agency that would oversee the initiative, said the deployment of digital technologies remains a fundamental tool in the implementation of the United Nations’ ( UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGS), targeted at making the world a better and safer place.

NITDA’S Director- General, Kashifu Inuwa, who disclosed this in Lagos, at the weekend, clarified that the project would be undertaken in partnership with relevant stakeholders in the ecosystem with a view of making Nigeria the hub of digital talents in Africa.

Represented by Acting Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr. Aristotle Onumo, the DG, who spoke at the Global Digital Economy Summit, organised by Junior

Chamber International Nigeria ( JCIN), charged everyone to take advantage of the various opportunities provided by government.

Lauding the theme of the event, ‘ Digital Transformation – Defining Our Success Pillars’, Inuwa said the programme aligned with the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s agenda of sustaining the digitisation of Nigeria.

“I am indeed delighted with the theme of this summit, which aptly captures the main essence of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy ( NDEPS) and resonates with the goal of our strategic road map and action plan 2021- 2024,” he said.

Describing digital transformation as a cultural change that requires organisations to continually challenge the status quo, the NITDA boss submitted that adoption of digital technologies would provide unprecedented opportunities, which the private and public sectors could leverage to enhance their productivity and market access.