More than 85 per cent of Nigeria’s graduates have no digital skills, a survey by GetBundi, an online education technology outfit, has shown.

The outcome of the survey, according to Mr Osita Oparaugo, the Chief Executive Officer of the outfit, shows that the more than 100 million young people are not prepared to take up good job opportunities that required such modern skills.

“There is an overwhelming digital skills gap that has been linked to the high unemployment rate in Nigeria.

“The lack of digital skills has been named as a major reason why many graduates produced yearly from the country’s tertiary institutions are unable to secure employment in the labour market,” he pointed out in a statement in Lagos.

To buttress the point, Oparaugo said that a 2023 survey conducted by GetBundi Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and Digital Skill Education Technology Company involving 100 NYSC members showed that only 19 of them had any form of digital skill.

“Even that skill was mostly Microsoft Excel and basic knowledge.

“All of the seven that had basic knowledge of programming, machine learning and data science studied outside Nigeria – five in the UK, one in the United States and one in Malaysia.

“Most of them are active on social media as 89 have active Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts, and 11 have LinkedIn accounts.

“However, they have little or no knowledge of any digital skills. About 15 carry one form of science-based field certificate or the other but have no practical knowledge when tested in their areas of study.

“This situation, at a time when digital skills rule the world, is worrisome, though the young people are not entirely to blame.

“The education system takes a huge chunk of the blame. The education system has often been criticised, and rightly, for not being updated with the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

“The curriculum used in many Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions is outdated and does not adequately cover the practical aspect of relevant digital skills.

“Practical digital skills that would better prepare the youths for jobs and self-employment are all lacking in the current education system.”

He argued that government had recognised the need to address this issue and took steps to promote digital literacy and skill development among youths.

“Some of the efforts include initiatives such as coding boot camps, online training platforms, partnerships with technology companies, and entrepreneurship programs that focus on digital innovation, he said.

“These initiatives aim to provide Nigerian youths with opportunities to learn and apply digital skills, thereby increasing their employability and entrepreneurial prospects,” he added.

He noted, however, that addressing the issue required the collaborations.

“It requires a collaborative effort among government, educational institutions, private sector organisations and individuals to provide accessible and relevant digital skills training to Nigerian youths.

“Addressing the digital skills gap among youths graduates requires a multi-pronged approach.

“In this regard, Getbundi, has articulated some strategies that can be implemented and one of them is to update educational curriculum
in secondary and tertiary institutions.

“Most schools use outdated and irrelevant curriculum to teach students, which is devoid of digital skills.

“To equip these youths for the digital economy, it is pertinent that the curriculum is updated with relevant skills such as coding, data analysis, cybersecurity, among others.

“We must also promote digital literacy programmes that target individuals who are already in the workforce or have limited educational opportunities.

“These programmes can offer training workshops, online courses and resources to enhance digital skills.

“Public-private partnerships can be formed to increase the reach and effectiveness of such initiatives.

“We must also strengthen digital infrastructure to improve access to reliable internet connectivity across the country.

“This can be done by expanding broadband infrastructure and reducing the cost of internet services.

“Access to affordable and reliable internet is crucial for individuals to acquire and enhance digital skills, so we must raise awareness and change mindsets and try to highlight the importance of digital skills in the current job market and overall societal development.

“This can help change mindsets and encourage individuals, parents, and employers to prioritise digital skills acquisition and support relevant initiatives.

“Individuals should be encouraged to pursue online courses, attend workshops and participate in digital activities to stay updated with evolving technologies and acquire new skills.

“The arrival of the fourth industrial revolution has, no doubt, ushered in a new era of globalisation, with significant changes and disruptions across various industries, necessitating the prioritisation of digital skills.”

To further address the digital skills gap in Nigeria and Africa, especially among Nigerian graduates, Oparaugo said that GetBundi had developed STEM-related courses for secondary school students, based on the West African School Certificate curriculum.

“We also have digital skills courses to equip everyone, young or old, with relevant 21st Century job-ready skills.

“Our platform also has micro-sliced courses for impactful learning with 107 skillful instructors.

“Individuals can get verified and go remote after learning some digital skills such as coding, artificial intelligence, graphics, video editing, cybersecurity, and much more in less than six months.

“Getbundi believes that equipping Nigerian youths with relevant digital skills can help build a skilled workforce better equipped to meet the demands of the modern economy,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Ephaims Sheyin

By Jessica Dogo

The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has said that Nigeria had the opportunity to compete with other countries digitally, not just other sectors.

Tijani, speaking with the Heads of Agencies and other stakeholders under the Ministry on Monday in Abuja, urged them to kick the ground running.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister assumed duty hours after his inauguration by President Bola Tinubu.

The minister, who took over from Prof. Isa Pantami, was among the 45 ministers sworn in by Tinubu.

He pledged to come up with policies and regulations that can protect Nigerians from devices that contradict some emerging technologies and transform the industry.

Tijani said: “This is at the same time that the policy opens up opportunities for more people to actually build us into prosperity.”

According to him, he would build on the gains recorded so far in the ministry through effective collaboration with key stakeholders in the industry.

The minister added: “I think it is always good to also take stock as well. You cannot improve what you do not know.

“It is impossible for us to move forward. If you do not assess what we have accomplished.

 “The best way to make it effective is to use technology that connects our citizens to the services they want to use in a dignified way.

“Our goal is not to come up with policies from the public sector, whether it is from this ministry or not, that will put people in pain before they can access government services.”

Tijani also said that the ministry was open to collaboration with other countries, adding that there is no country that can become strong technically in isolation.

He said: “The minister can formulate policies and regulations but if we are not working closely with industry, the things we want to see will never be built to the point where prosperity can come to our nation.

“If we do not collaborate with countries all over the world, we are going to be limited by what is available at the minute in terms of knowledge.

“We are going to be partnering with the best organisations and institutions in the world.”

According to Tijani, part of the challenge is how to connect people to opportunities so that they can progress.

“This ministry is critical to unlocking opportunities for our people regardless of where they are.

“We are the face of the ministry which means we have to update and upgrade our skills.

“This is to ensure that we are connected to modern knowledge, but most importantly, ensure that there is dignity in everything,” he said.

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone (GBB), Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) are among the agencies under the Ministry. (NAN)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu

The Anambra Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Agency, says plans are underway to digitise the state legislative processes to make residents have digital access to the laws and other legislative instruments.

Mr Chukwuemeka Agbata, Managing Director, Anambra ICT Agency, made the disclosure when he visited the Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze, in his office on Monday.

Agbata said that since Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s administration kick started the ‘Everything Technology and Technology Everywhere’ vision, the ICT agency had taken initiatives to bring other arms of government on board.

He said that the agency had identified areas of improvement in the online presence of the State House of Assembly.

“We want to see how we can ensure that proceedings of the Assembly are digitised to enable constituents have a feel of the efforts of their representatives in the House.

“Lagos State House of Assembly has a portal with pages for the legislators, their works, motions and Bills they have sponsored, all captured for easy access by the constituents.

” This is a positive model we can borrow as a forward-looking state. We will also get for our legislators a domain name and email addresses, to ease communication among themselves.

“We want to work with the House to reproduce all the laws and bye-laws of the state in digital formats, so that in the event of any mishap, we will not be losing so much, as they must have been backed up in the cloud,” he said.

Agbata sought the collaboration of the assembly to achieve the project.

“Gov. Soludo has that vision of a liveable and prosperous smart city and as an agency, we are playing our part effectively but we need every support we can get, “Agbata said.

Also speaking, Mr Jude Emesim, a Digital Investment Lead, said that the digitisation would allow constituents’ inputs in the legislative processes and bridge the gap between the elected members and their constituents.

Responding, the speaker said the 8th Assembly under his watch is committed to doing things differently in line with the governor’s vision.

Udeze lamented that everything done in the assembly is still in analogue form compared to other states.

“Having the documentation of the state laws in digital format, will give the people access, reduce duplication of legislative efforts and ensure absence of conflict of motions and laws.

“I want to assure you that the 8th Assembly will embrace technology to ease its processes and ensure it is effective in fulfilling its obligations as an arm of government,” Udeze said. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

By Funmilola Gboteku/Olanrewaju Akojede

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Women Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), has completed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) empowerment summer camp for 24 girls drawn from some secondary schools in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two weeks intensive Summer Camp was held at Laureates College and Kiddies Kingdom Private School,Mafoluku, Oshodi.

The training tagged: “SheCreatesCamp”, with the theme “Solve with AI”, according to the organisers was necessitated primarily to target more females to embracing technology and its immense opportunities.

The Chief Executive Officer of W.TEC, Mrs Oreoluwa Lesi, told NAN on the sideline of the event that the organisation was seeking ways to encourage more women in the STEM – Science, Technology Engineering and Maths – career path.

“We target women and girls because of the unfavourable statistics that shows that women are under-represented in the technology space and not just tech alone but the broad spectrum of STEM.

“When we look at the numbers of women who are studying and working in STEM field, it is very low. Looking at the numbers of women studying STEM degrees across the world, they only make up of 36 per cent while the rest are men.

“In Nigeria, the figures we have show that we only have 22 per cent of women in engineering and technology.

“When we also look at the workspace, women only make up 20 per cent, so we can see that women are already in the minority in STEM field,” she noted.

Lesi explained that the purpose of having the rudiments of AI taught among the school girls was to arouse their interests and help the society to bridge the gap and disparity in the numbers of women in STEM.

“We are targeting these young girls because we want to catch them young, while some of them have yet to make up their minds on the career path they want to take.

“We chose the topic `Solve with AI” so as to introduce the topic to younger girls, we want to assist them to make informed decision about their careers.

“We are providing workshops, seminars and summer camps like this so that the little children can think about themselves and possibly pursue a career in tech or generally STEM field.

“The camp also has other activities to relax them and allows them to connect more because AI has spaces in all fields of human endeavours.

“No matter what people might have studied, there is an application of AI in them which makes it more interesting and amazing,” she said.

Lesi noted that with more awareness women would understand the immense opportunities in AI and embrace its study and applications.

“There are immense opportunities in STEM because we cannot only leave it to the men alone, if our women are able to contribute to the development of AI, then a meaningful impact would be made in terms of decisions when creating an App that both men and women will eventually use.

“The children from the summer camp actually performed above my expectations as they have been able to solve complex issues using the AI, while many of them have also developed interests in STEM related subjects.

“During the intense camping, they were able to build an automated waste bin that we don’t need to use our hands to open, but can open by itself through human sensor.

“The children were also able to build an automated water dispenser machine that can operate just with human sensors, these are some of the amazing projects carried out by the girls during the summer camp,” she said.

The beneficiaries who were esctatic about the prospects in AI told NAN various things that they had gained at the summer camp.

Ikenna Okoro, a Senior Secondary School Student of Trinity International College, Lagos, said that camp experience was worth more than the time she invested in it.

“I have been able to learn new things about AI and I will like to pursue a career in any STEM course in the future,” she said.

Also, Bushroh Yussuf from Tunwase High School, said through AI she learnt about software innovations and how to create apps.

“We were also taught web designing, we sat down to think about our own ideas on how to develop apps which led us to our projects on automated waste bin and automated water dispenser machine,” she said.

Adaeze Nworah, from International School of Beam, told NAN that though she already had ideas about AI, yet the summer was challenging.

“I already knew about AI before the camp and I have developed interests as well, all in all, this summer camp is very interesting and challenging to me.

“I am so thrilled that we can actually sit together to think about how to make an automated water dispenser, because it took us a lot of test run to making sure that we achieved the best product.

“We had time to correct the errors and minimise the human factor that may affect the efficient usage of the water dispenser as well,” she said.

Tamilore Paul-Taiwo from Springforte Lead College, said that her knowledge of AI would help her embrace the idea of creating more job opportunities in the tech industry.

Esther Ajanigo of Royal Regent School, said that the summer camp had opened her consciousness to pursuing a career in software engineering.

“I want to join the league of women in tech space especially AI and I want to create more awareness so that more girls can join me on this journey.

“I will like to build an app that can work on smartphones which will make life easier for us all,” she said.

Lesley Tarabina, a coach at the summer, said that the students had learned a lot which could change their future positively. (NAN)

Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Jessica Dogo

Tezza Academy, Nigeria and Accra Institute of Technology (AIT) Ghana are set to partner in order to foster knowledge in Information Technology (IT).

Ms Oluwatomi Etta, Communication Specialist, Tezza Academy, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Etta said that the partnership would also bring talent exchange, research advancements, and cultural understanding between the two institutions.

The President of AIT, Prof. Clement Dzidonu speaking after a facility tour at Tezza academy said the partnership could open opportunities for the two organisations in both countries leading to internships and job opportunities.

Dzidonu said that it would also provide industry-sponsored projects to address one of the growing challenges on the continent for closing knowledge gaps and nurturing highly skilled IT professionals across sectors.

Dzidonu described the academy as a fitting model for instilling industry-required skills into young people especially graduates of tertiary institutions.

He expressed keen interest in introducing a Tezza initiative in Accra while laying the groundwork for a potential partnership with Tezza Academy.

The president said this would allow AIT to leverage its well-regarded status and vast network in Ghana to facilitate placements for theprogramme’s graduates.

According to him, AIT will, among other things, explore a Ghanaian Immersive Programme in Accra with the same class size as Tezza Academy’s current cohort.

“Work out placement facilitation in recognition of the challenges faced by university-taught programmes in engaging graduates.

“The strategic alliance aims to connect the brightest talents from various universities in Ghana to Tezza Academy’s immersive program, ensuring career pathways for young professionals.

“This exchange programme could further promote cultural diversity and provide students with a broader perspective on technology and innovation in different contexts within Ghana and Nigeria,” Dzidonu said.

The Managing Partner, Tezza Academy,Jide Modele, said it was committed to tackling the drain of highly skilled IT professionals.

He said: “These professionals are locally referred to as the ‘jakpa syndrome’ by discovering, equipping, and training self-motivated youths in conjunction with our global partners in specialised IT disciplines.”

Modele said by retaining talented individuals and providing them with cutting-edge IT skills and opportunities, the academy sought to transform brain drain into brain gain.

This, he said, was contributing significantly to Nigeria’s Global Value Chains (GVCs) as an important human capital export nation.

Modele said the collaboration envisioned providing entrepreneurship support for student entrepreneurs to strengthen the development of startup incubation programs and access to funding opportunities for innovative projects.

He added: “Tezza Academy offers free tuition and residency programmes empowering young Nigerians with high-end IT skills and ensuring job placements upon completion of a three-month intensive training.

“Since 2020, the Academy has been forging partnerships and delivering high skill sets required across sectors locally and offshore.

“It is allowing trainees to absorb into client sites in a way that effectively address unemployment and employability challenges in Nigeria.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Stellamaris Ashinze

The Kaduna State Government and Google on Tuesday announced a patnership to train 5,000 women and girls in data science, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurial application of digital technologies.

Google’s Director for West Africa, Olumide Balogun said in a statement that the partnership was a significant move towards promoting technology  inclusivity.

Balogun said that this initiative was part of a broader skills development programme supported by Google.org. which aims to empower 20,000 more women and young people across Nigeria.

He said that the women and girls would be empowered  with 21st century skills, positioning the trainees for opportunities in the digital and creative industries.

According to him,  the future of technology in Nigeria hinges on tapping into the potential of every individual, irrespective of gender.

Balogun said: ‘’Our collaboration with the Kaduna State Government is a testament to our unwavering belief in the transformative power of women in tech.

‘’Through the support of Google.org, we’re dedicated to fostering a more inclusive digital landscape, ensuring every trained woman becomes a beacon of change in the tech world.”

‘’The collaboration is a clear indication of both parties’ commitment to driving inclusion in the tech industry, ultimately supporting improved economic livelihoods through the digital economy in Nigeria.

According to the Kaduna state Governor, Mr  Uba Sani, inclusion in technology is not just about social equity; but about economic progress.

Sani said that by empowering Kaduna State  women with digital skills, the state was not only breaking gender barriers but also setting the stage for significant economic growth.

‘’This partnership with Google underscores our commitment to harnessing the vast potential of our women for the socio-economic transformation of Kaduna State and Nigeria at large.

‘’The Kaduna State Government has consistently emphasised the importance of leveraging technology to drive economic growth, central to this vision is the inclusion of women in the tech space.

‘’By providing focused technology training and ensuring accessibility, the state aims to empower this demographic, recognizing their potential to be significant contributors to the digital economy and the broader socio-economic landscape,’’ he said.

The governor said that the programme would be executed by Data Science Nigeria, which will set up Arewa Tech4Ladies.

He said that this initiative was crafted to serve four key semi-urban and rural communities in Kaduna State, offering specialised women-focused learning, mentoring and job placement support facilities.(NAN)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Olasunkanmi Onifade

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja has commended the operational efficiency of the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), in providing satellite services for the Armed Forces and the Nigerian Army.

Lagbaja gave the commendation when he received the Managing Director, NIGCOMSAT Ltd, Mr Tukur Lawal, who paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday in Abuja.

Lagbaja said the Nigerian Army was conscious of the Nigerian facility and would collaborate with NIGCOMSAT Ltd as it prepares the launch of a second Communications Satellite otherwise known as NigComSat-2.

He however requested the inclusion of the Army personnel in the design of the second Satellite and also in the training of the Army in the Command and Control of the communications satellite for security purpose.

Earlier, Lawal expressed optimism on the collaboration between the Nigeria Army and his organisation, stating that the Nigeria Army remains the ‘pride of the nation’.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that both parties have agreed to form a committee with the view to having a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate the collaboration.

NIGCOMSAT owns and operates the Nigerian Communications Satellite systems, with a vision to be the leading satellite solutions’ provider in Nigeria and Africa. (NAN)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani