30,000 Nigerian youths to acquire digital skills – Pantami

No less than 30,000 additional young Nigerians will gain access to digital skills training as part of the benefits of a collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and Huawei Technologies (Nigeria) Limited.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties aimed at developing the digital literacy of Nigerian talent.

The event also doubled as a presentation ceremony for the Huawei competition national final awards.

“The Memorandum of Understanding signing between the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy on one hand and Huawei Nigeria, on the other hand, is more on developing the skills of citizens in the country, particularly because the global trend today requires students to have skills with which they can do things practically. That is why we came up with MOU to see how, as part of Huawei’s corporate social responsibility, they can support our students all over the country,” Dr. Pantami said.

“As part of the MOU, a minimum of 30,000 students are going to be trained on digital skills, and also we are going to establish around 300 centres, academies of Huawei in our Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Educations, where our students would be able to get the skills required to face the challenges of today’s labour market particularly at the international stage, not only in Nigeria,” he added.

Speaking also, the President of Huawei Nigeria, Liuyan Trevor stated that their organization is fully committed to the development of Nigerian Digital Economy through the enhancement of the Digital Literacy and skill of young Nigerians.

Mr. Trevor stated this at the occasion of the signing ceremony of the ICT talent development corporation MOU between Huawei and the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital economy which took place in Abuja on Monday.

Speaking further at the occasion, Mr. Trevor noted that they are happy to key into the ministry’s vision to transforming Nigeria into a leading digital economy that provides quality life and digital economies for all and sundry which will generate a digital innovations and entrepreneurship ecosystem that creates value and prosperity for all.

“Huawei is committed to build a fully connected, intelligent World through a Digital Economy Transformation. One of the eight pillars of Digital Economy Policy is to accelerate the Development of the Nigerian Digital Economy by enhancing the Digital Literacy and skills of Nigerians. This Policy will usher a massive training of Nigerians from all works of life in order to enable them to obtain digital literacy and other digital skills.

“Huawei’s desire is to fast-track the development economy in line with the policy. Huawei has developed a digital education curriculum to meet the current and future needs of the Digital Economy.

“Furtherance to Nigeria’s Digital Economy, Huawei is highly committed to developing local talents through various information and communications technology (ICT), talent training programs. Huawei Nigeria has also developed a tremendous training curriculum to cater for the needs of both the Telecommunication Industry, the Government Workforce, Youth Development and Education Institutions which covers all major areas in need capacity development,” he concluded.