A delegation of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, in Abuja.
The visit followed the successful completion of a three-day intensive digital skills training programme for secondary school teachers organised by DBI in collaboration with ITU.
The delegation was led by the President/Chief Executive Officer of DBI, David Daser, and ITU Senior Digital Skills Officer, Ms. Robyn Fysh, who was visiting from Switzerland.
Receiving the delegation, the NITDA Director-General commended the initiative and partnership between DBI and ITU, describing the collaboration as highly relevant to the mandates of both organisations and the broader effort to advance digital skills development in Nigeria.
Abdullahi said achieving Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives required strong partnerships among relevant institutions, noting that no single organisation could accomplish the task alone.
“What you are doing deeply resonates with what we do at NITDA. Our mandate is to drive digital innovation and inclusion and make sure that every Nigerian uses IT and digital devices positively,” he said.
The NITDA DG stressed the importance of equipping Nigerians with the knowledge and skills required to effectively use digital technologies, noting that achieving this objective required access to people with the necessary expertise to train and educate others.
He disclosed that NITDA had commenced the development of the National Digital Literacy Framework as part of efforts to strengthen digital literacy across the country.
According to him, the national target is to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030 and ensure that every Nigerian has the opportunity to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
“We need everyone to be part of it. So, this is a welcome idea to work with you to see how it can be implemented,” Abdullahi said.
The visit further underscored the importance of collaboration among Nigeria’s digital-sector institutions and international partners in expanding digital skills, strengthening digital inclusion and preparing citizens, particularly teachers and young people, for increased participation in the digital economy.
Soji Fagbemi
Head, Public Affairs & Media Relations DBI
