The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is set to collaborate with the SI Group & Beyond Mentors on various aspects of digitisation, particularly focusing on youth and information and communications technology (ICT).
This partnership aims to address the IT talent gap in Nigeria, develop standards to balance supply and demand, as well as create strategic partnerships to enhance capacity-building and skills development in the public and private sectors.
During a courtesy visit by the SI Group & Beyond Mentors Team to NITDA’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, the director-general of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi, expressed the agency’s readiness to work together on critical areas of digitisation. Abdullahi emphasised the importance of making data available online to avoid the risk of cultures, values and identities being forgotten. He also highlighted the need to train Nigerian youths in animation and visual arts to create characters that reflect African thoughts and views.
In discussing NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) for 2021-2024, Abdullahi mentioned initiatives such as the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support Scheme, which supports startups from the conceptualisation of ideas to commercialisation. He also emphasised the agency’s principle of co-creation and its commitment to building a strong ecosystem. In 2022, NITDA trained over 600 Nigerians across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Abdullahi emphasised the importance of collaboration and welcomed key collaborators to co-create and build the desired ecosystem. He acknowledged the need for mentorship and skills development to commercialise innovative products. The collaboration with SI Group and Beyond Mentors aims to leverage their networks, experience, and expertise to implement NITDA projects and explore untapped areas for partnership.
The founder of SI Group of Social Enterprise, Khadijah Abdullahi Iya expressed the purpose of the courtesy call, which was to familiarise NITDA with the work of the SI Group and Beyond Mentors. The visit aimed to identify shared values, explore partnership opportunities, and leverage the group’s networks and expertise to support NITDA’s objectives. Iya shared the success stories of the group and expressed optimism about the partnership’s potential to achieve common goals.
The collaboration between NITDA and SI Group & Beyond Mentors is a significant step towards bridging the IT talent gap in Nigeria and advancing digitisation efforts. By combining their resources, expertise and networks, they aim to enhance capacity building, skills development and the overall digital transformation in the country. This partnership aligns with NITDA’s commitment to collaboration and creating a thriving ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship.
