Emmanuel Ochayi
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, has unveiled a fresh vision for the country, aiming to transform it from a technology consumer to a net exporter within four years.
In a television appearance yesterday, Tijani emphasized the potential of Nigeria’s ICT sector, which contributes over 18 percent to the GDP.
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Tijani highlighted the importance of technology in achieving this goal and spoke of Nigeria’s unique demographic advantage, with 60 percent of its population being young and energetic. He stated, “We shall explore these demographics. Technology is going to help leapfrog development in Nigeria and rub off well on the economy.”
To kickstart this transformation, the Federal Government is launching a three million digital skill empowerment program. Tijani announced that applications for the program, aimed at both trainers and individuals seeking technical skills, would open today.
He further explained the program’s phased approach, stating, “We won’t start by saying we want to train 3 million people. We are going to start with one percent of that, in the first zero to three months, which equals 30,000 people.” Tijani also emphasized the potential of industrial clusters in Nigeria, including Aba, Abia State, to contribute to the development of hardware products for the ICT industry.
Addressing challenges faced by the sector, including the decline of 568 firms, Tijani noted the global economic slowdown and the impact of COVID-19 but pledged to use policies to encourage growth and prevent further collapses. He expressed the need to support local technology players and foster their growth in the sector.
This vision for Nigeria’s tech future promises to reshape the country’s economic landscape and elevate its status as a technology exporter.
