Zamfara State has become the first in Nigeria to adopt a Digital Literacy Framework (ZDLF), equipping its people with essential digital skills for inclusive economic growth, e-governance, and innovation.
A high-level stakeholder engagement on the Zamfara Digital Literacy Framework was held on Wednesday at the Garba Nadama Hall, JB Yakubu Secretariat, Gusau, the state capital, according to a statement from Government House.
Governor Dauda Lawal described the framework as a bold roadmap to a digitally inclusive future, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to seeing its full implementation.
The statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, noted that the stakeholder engagement brought together key federal institutions, development partners, lawmakers, academia, as well as private sector actors to review and enrich the draft framework.
The Governor said, “Today marks a significant milestone in our collective journey to redefine the developmental pathway of Zamfara State through digital empowerment, innovation and inclusive access to information and communication technology.
“The Zamfara Digital Literacy Framework is a practical and strategic response to a long-standing need to equip our people with the capacity to function and grow in an increasingly digital world.
“As we all know, digital literacy has become critical for productivity, job creation, quality service delivery and national relevance. We cannot afford to watch our state remain on the margins of a technology-driven global order.
“This framework aims to institutionalise digital learning and ICT integration across education, public service and commerce sectors. It envisions a state where every student is digitally competent, every civil servant has essential digital skills for governance and entrepreneurs and traders are equipped to expand their businesses and access larger markets. We have begun to turn this vision into action.
“Zamfara State partnered with Oracle Corporation to train 3,000 youth in Cloud 2 computing, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Database Management. With Oracle Academy, our tertiary institutions gain support to produce graduates who are industry-relevant.
“Work has started on the Zamfara Institute of Information Technology (ZIIT) in Gusau. This institute will be a regional centre of excellence, offering hands-on ICT education and fostering home-grown innovation. We aim to bridge the digital divide and position Zamfara as the emerging ICT centre of northern Nigeria.”
In a goodwill message, Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis (Zamfara Central), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Communications and Digital Economy, commended Zamfara for taking the lead at a time national development hinges on digital inclusion.
The Senator donated 300 computers to ZITDA, to support its digital transformation drive across MDA’s.
In an overview of the Zamfara Digital Literacy Framework (ZDLF), Dr. Habib Gajam, Executive Secretary of the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency (ZITDA), described the framework as a strategic and people-centred document organised around four primary outcomes.
Key federal digital institutions represented at the stakeholder engagement include the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Galaxy Backbone, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Nigerian Communications Satellite and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).