From Desmond Mgboh,Kano
The Federal Government has mapped out a five pillar strategic blueprint to accelerate the diversification of the economy through the instumentality of digital technology and innovation.
Minister of Commucation, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani disclosed this on Thursday in Kano during the occasion of the 11th National Council of Commucation, Innovation and Digital Economy.
He listed the focus of the blueprint to include knowledge, policy, infrastructure, innovation entrepreneurship and capital, as well as trade.
According to him, the blueprint on knowledge seeks to generate innovations that would drive productivity and improve economic growth through talent development, research and digital literacy.
“As part the efforts to achieve this ,we launched the Three million Technical Talent (3MTT) Program with the goal of training 3 million early mid – career technical talents over the next four years” he disclosed.
He added that the Technical Talent Program was aimed at building Nigeria’s technical talent back bone with a view to powering its digital economy and positioning the country as a net talent exporter.
He added that government intended to use research to position Nigeria among the 25 percent research counties globally across the six pivotal fourth Industrial Revolution which included Artificial Intelligence, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Internet of Things ,Robotics, Blockchains and Additive Manufacturing.
In his remarks, Kano State Commissioner of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mohammed Tajo Othman applauded the intention and policies of the Federal Government in the digital technology sector.
He also stressed the need for coordinated efforts in monitoring the projects being in by NITDA,NCC and other related agencies adding that Kano State government would be delighted to provide the needed synergy in this regard…
He further disclosed that the government government had approved the training of 40 graduates in the areaUI/UX, Front End Engineering, Data Science and machine learning in the state with the intention to fill the gap created by the Japa syndrome and provide self employment to the youths.