Why FG Adopted Digital Economy Policy – NCC

The Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, has said the Federal Government adopted digital economy policy because it wants youths to be self-employed through Information and Communication Technology, ICT.

Naija News reports that this was made known by the NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Umar Danbatta.

He stated that the government has started a nationwide digital literacy training exercise for 1,000 Nigerian youths to empower them with ICT skills.

The NCC boss spoke during the North-West belt of the two-week training organised by the commission at the Kano Campus of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI).

A statement on Monday by Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC Director of Public Affairs, disclosed that the programme was part of efforts at implementing the Federal Government’s policy to lift 100 miliion Nigerians out of poverty.

The statement quoted Danbatta as saying, “The National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020 to 2030, is an important intervention approved by the Federal Government to make more Nigerian youths self-reliant.

“I urge the Nigerian youths, to put skills acquired as well as the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools received during the nationwide digital literacy training exercise to appropriate and legitimate use.”

Danbatta also said the implementation of the recommendations of the committee of experts, as approved by the government, gave rise to the training, which targets 1,000 Nigerian youths to be digitally trained for self-employment.

“The training has provided for you, useful skills, which you have acquired to earn a living for yourself without necessarily relying on government to give you a job. It is our hope at NCC that you will apply the skills appropriately and impact on your friends and associates.

“I also urge you to resist the temptations to sell the laptops and other IT tools you are going to be provided with.

“It is consistent with this important policy of President Buhari that the Board of the NCC, two years ago, set up a committee of experts chaired by the former chairman, Ernest Ndukwe, to develop modalities and syllabus for the digital training of youths across the six geo-political zones of the country.”