By Mohammed Mohammed
As part of efforts to mitigate the spread of the deadly Coronavirus, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ibrahim Pantami, on Wednesday Commissioned the National Information Technology Development (NITDA) Academy Virtual Learning Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the launch of the collaboration efforts between the agency, CISCO, Microsoft, Huawei, Oracle and Havard University, he said the launching became necessary because things are already changing across the world as a result of the advent of the COVID-19.
According to him, the academy will enable the ministry create a pool of trained and skilled youths; encourage continuous learning at home, build, upgrade and integrate our capacity among Nigerians as well as bridge the gap between the academia and the industry.
He said: “This is commendable, looking at the way the pandemic has stared changing the way things are being done globally.
“With over 3.1million people haven contracted the virus globally and 217,000 dead, it has started changing the world completely.
“For the first time we are commissioning a project in Nigeria virtually, this is what CIVID-19 has caused.”
The academy training which is free to interested and prospective candidates comes in 3 categories and is meant to enable public servants to acquire prerequisite skills they may need to fit into the emerging Post-COVID-19 economy.
He said the ministry is currently working with NITDA, Galaxy Backbone and other relevant agencies to begin the hosting of future FEC virtually through the academy, pending the approval by the President.
“The commissioning of the academy being unprecedented, we are working to conduct the FEC meetings virtually.
Pantami charged NITDA to ensure that they build the capacity of more Nigerians, particular in the area of emerging technologies in line with the Ministry’s strategy No.2.
The minister called on the citizens to utilise the the opportunity to build their capacity and skills.
Similarly, he charged students in secondary schools and institutions of higher learning to leverage the platform provided by the NITDA Academy to acquire more skills, insisting that the era when certificate counts over skills is over.
“I feel there is no better time to utilize this platform to build peoples’ capacity than now.
“It has. So many benefits. I encourage our students in key into this initiative because today, it is no longer about the skills they acquired but about the skills and capacity.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director General of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa who described the occasion as historic said said it was the first time a public servant would commission a project virtually in Nigeria.
While acknowledging the key role played by the partners’ effort in making the project a reality, Inuwa said they at NITDA are promoting digital literacy strategy for the Post-COVID-19 world in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy of President Mohammadu Buhari.
In his remarks, the country Manager of CISCO, Mr. Olakunle Olatimeyi said the launching of the Academy is an important journey for Nigeria not just now we are faced with COVID-19 but for the future.
He advised the ministry to carry providers along through offering them subsidy so as to make their services affordable for Nigerians.