KANO, AUGUST 29, 2016 – The Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development (CECAD) in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Kano State government and the Bayero University, Kano are on the verge of signing a digital innovation pact for youths of Northern Nigeria.This decision formed part of the discussions at this year’s Nigeria Digital Innovation Conference held at the Bayero University, Kano last week.
The conference tagged ‘Building a new Nigeria in a digital economy’, which was well attended by youths from various states of the North West region, was organized to bridge what the organizer described as a widening digital poles between the Northern and Southern axis of the country.
According to Bayero Agabi, executive director of CECAD, the conference, which had in attendance Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano State Governor, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, minister of Communications, Prof. Umar Danbatta, EVC of NCC, the Vice Chancellor Bayero University Kano and other stakeholders from the public and private sector, was organized to see how Nigeria, its businesses and innovations are responding to the digital competitive world.
He said from the interaction, there is a gap in the area of capacity building among the youths in the Northern part of the country, which has informed decision to give opportunities to them in an effort to engender a total knowledge-based economy.
“We have identified a gap in the area of capacity building for the youths. We are already in discussions with our partners to bridge that gap by exposure the youths to ICT tools that would make them competitive and create jobs for themselves and others,” Bayero said.
He added that there is a lacuna in our educational system where ICT-related curricula have become outdated and out of touch with the reality in the industry, making the ivory towers produce students, whose skills are at variance with the industry skills requirements.
He said this must be addressed, stating that innovation can only be achieved through the right education, backed by the right policies.
