From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Nigeria could lose up to $11 billion annually in potential economic growth if the widening digital skills gap is not urgently addressed.
Chairman of the Sector Skills Council for Information and Communications Technology, Mr. Shola Oshilaja, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the 21st anniversary celebration of the Digital Bridge Institute, an agency under the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Oshilaja, represented by the Council’s Secretary, Mr. Chukwuemeka Okafor, said “In Nigeria, the digital skills gap could cost our economy an estimated $11bn annually in lost growth opportunities. The question before us is clear: how do we prepare Nigeria’s workforce not just for today’s market but for tomorrow’s?”
Citing a report by the World Economic Forum, he said by 2027, about 69 per cent of global companies would adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI), potentially displacing 85 million jobs while creating 97 million new ones.
Oshilaja called for sweeping policy reforms and educational changes to equip Nigeria’s workforce for the digital economy. He stressed the need to introduce coding, cybersecurity, digital marketing, and AI fundamentals in secondary schools.
He also advocated mandatory internships and apprenticeships as part of institutionalised work-based learning.
The ICT council boss urged the Federal Government to develop a National ICT Skills Framework that aligns with international standards and is guided by the Council’s expertise.
He further tasked government agencies with aligning their policies to support digital skill development and providing incentives to companies investing in tech training.