The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida has applauded the proposal by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, to enlist and train three million Nigerians over a period of four years, which will make the country an exporter of digital skills.
Maida, who spoke recently in Lagos at the City Business News Summit, said the programme, which has already attracted 1 million applicants, is capable of increasing Nigeria’s pool of technically skilled persons in the global market leading to potential employers of digital and technical skills in the international scene to begin to engage more Nigerians.
Speaking on the theme of the summit, ‘Repositioning Nigerian Economy through Telecommunications: 2023 and Beyond’, the NCC boss noted that, in recognition of the rapid pace of technological advancement that is disrupting industries across the globe, Nigeria’s vision is rooted in the belief that embracing this disruption and fostering innovation will propel the nation toward sustainable growth, economic diversification, and enhanced living standards for all Nigerians.
Represented by the Commission’s Director of Research and Development, Ismail Adedigba, the NCC’s chief executive officer said:
“This programme, which has commenced already with over 1 million applications by potential trainees is expected to increase the level of digital and technical skills among Nigerians, especially young and middle-level talents, to 70 per cent by the end of 2027″,
He said that the NCC remains committed to providing an enabling environment for the building of the critical infrastructure required to power a strong digital economy, guarantee improved access to quality broadband connectivity, and the efficient management of the nation’s spectrum resources.
Maida said the policy direction of the Ministry, which is being driven by five pillars, will deliver on the goals of fostering economic growth and development.
“This will position Nigerians to productively contribute to the economy and place us in the top 25 percentile of research globally in the key areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), IoT, Robotics, Blockchain, and Additive Manufacturing in keeping with the strategic plan unveiled by the Honourable Minister,” he said.
These pillars which include policy; infrastructure; innovation, entrepreneurship and capital; trade and knowledge, are the bedrock of the Strategic Vision Plan (2023 – 2025) and form the guide to channel our efforts to harness the potential of the telecommunications sector and drive positive change in Nigeria.
“The ambitious plans we have set out may seem lofty and even incredible, but through strategic partnerships and collaborations with all stakeholders, we believe that they are achievable,” he concludes.
3MTT’s growing momentum
The 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) was designed by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to train 3 million Nigerians within the next 4 years.
According to the government’s outlined implementation plans, the training will be structured into three phases. The initial phase is set to accommodate 30,000 individuals, followed by the second phase with 300,000 participants, and the third phase will encompass the remaining 3 million.
Minister Tijani explained at an event in Lagos that the first phase will impart skills to Nigerians that leverage technology to enhance various roles, focusing on areas such as Digital Marketing, Project Management Software, Cloud Platforms Navigation, Data Analysis and Visualization, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), CRM Management, Accounting Software, Graphics Design, UX/UI Design, and more.
The inaugural phase, conducted in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), will engage many stakeholders, including fellows, training providers, partners, and placement organizations.
Dr Tijani, revealed, two weeks ago that there are more than 1 million applications for the programme. He also indicated that the applicants will be required to complete an introductory course on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the coming weeks.
He also encouraged the applicants to anticipate further instructions via their email via X.
The Federal Government announced last week that it has partnered with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to facilitate paid internships for 3,000 participants. The selection process for the 3,000 beneficiaries of the internship opportunity remains undisclosed, as the Minister refrained from specifying whether this group will be drawn from the initial 30,000 cohort or distributed across subsequent program batches.
Before this, the Minister had unveiled a N1 billion funding commitment from IHS Telecom, which not only supports the program but also covers salaries for 37 dedicated learning community managers at each location over the next 3 years.
