In a move to create thousands of job opportunities within and outside Nigeria, the Digital Bridge Institute has entered into a transformative partnership with a United States based SBTS Group LLC to equip Nigerian youth with the needed digital skills to operate globally.
The partnership between the DBI and SBTS is essentially to address the nation’s digital divide and drive Job creation
Described as a milestone for Nigeria’s digital future, the groundbreaking collaboration would leverage the SBTS Group’s Intelligent Capacity Building Model (ICBM), and the DBI’s reputation as Nigeria’s premier ICT capacity-building institute to provide training, infrastructure upgrades, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hubs across DBI campuses.
These initiatives will empower thousands of Nigerians with globally competitive skills and enhance the country’s participation in the global digital economy.
According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), over 230 million jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030, thus creating nearly 650 million training opportunities.
This summarizes the importance of this initiative and the urgency required to bridging Africa’s digital skills gap.
The partnership would focuse on skill development and employment, which would involve training of thousands of Nigerians in advanced digital and technical skills; providing job placements locally and internationally for trained individuals; and develop a robust pipeline of skilled professionals to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap.
It would also focused on infrastructure upgrades and resource centers, with establishment of BPO hubs and tech resource centers in Lagos, Enugu, Kano, and other DBI campuses.
According to Daser David, the president/CEO of DBI, the partnership would boost Nigeria’s role in the global outsourcing market by creating high-value job opportunities.
The DBI President emphasized that the initiative aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, prioritizing human capital development, job creation, and socio-economic transformation, adding that the efforts would definitely accelerate the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Besides, he said the partnership would support the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative to position Nigeria as a leading exporter of digital talent.
While highlighting the DBI’s dedication to bridging Nigeria’s digital divide, David said: “Our partnership with SBTS aligns with our mission to foster digital skills and transform lives. By integrating Nigeria’s youth into the global technological workforce, we are laying the foundation for a thriving digital economy.”
The CEO of SBTS Group, Evelyn Lewis, also emphasized the partnership’s urgency in launching Nigeria to the global digital space for the millions of Nigerian youth to take advantage.
He said;
“Africa’s digital skills gap is a barrier to growth. By collaborating with DBI, we aim to close this gap, create jobs, and accelerate technology adoption, boosting productivity across sectors.”
As Africa’s largest economy with a burgeoning youth population, Nigeria is positioned to take a leading role in this digital transformation of the continent.
David explained further that many of these opportunities will require intermediate and advanced technical skills, beyond basic digital literacy; adding that the DBI-SBTS collaboration directly addresses these challenges by creating a sustainable framework for skill development.
Already, the renovation and upgrades have commenced at DBI campuses, beginning with Enugu and Kano, with plans to extend nationwide.
These improvements will create state-of-the-art facilities for delivering cutting-edge training programs.
The partnership will also implement the ICBM framework, enabling DBI to offer advanced digital skills training, support the establishment of BPO centers, and create an ecosystem for innovation and growth.
David hinted that the initiative is basically to empowering Nigeria’s Youth and the Economy.
He said:
“This collaboration is a game-changer for Nigeria’s economy. By equipping job seekers with digital skills, the initiative enhances their employability and contributes to national development. The integration of digital talent into various sectors is expected to spur innovation, attract investments, and position Nigeria as a global hub for skilled digital professionals.”
