Bosun Tijani, the minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy of Nigeria, has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
The invitation, which came from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, is in recognition of Nigeria’s advancements in technology and development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In his announcement, Tijani stated the invitation to serve on the UNITAR Board is an honour, “My invitation to serve on the UNITAR Board is a win for Nigeria, and an acknowledgement of the giant strides made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards promoting economic and social development.”
Tijani highlighted the appointment as both a personal achievement and a recognition of Nigeria’s strive to build capacity and close the technology skills gap.
UNITAR is an autonomous institution within the United Nations framework, designed to enhance the effectiveness of the organisation in achieving its key objectives. It focuses on capacity building and training, providing innovative solutions to address global challenges.
According to Bosun Tijani, his appointment to the UNITAR board is a validation of Nigeria’s initiatives, particularly the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, which he described as “the largest talent accelerator in the world.”
The 3MTT programme aims to develop a huge pool of technical talent to meet the demands of the global digital economy. In focusing on skill development and capacity building, the initiative seeks to empower young Nigerians, training them with the skills needed to thrive in the technology sector.
This program aligns with UNITAR’s mission of enhancing training and research to support sustainable development and international cooperation.
As a board member, Tijani will collaborate with other members to formulate principles and policies that will guide UNITAR’s activities and operations. His involvement is expected to bring helpful insights from Nigeria’s experiences in digital transformation and innovation, contributing to global strategies for capacity building.
Tijani’s appointment puts the country with global innovators enhancing technological development and capacity building.
In joining the UNITAR Board of Trustees, Tijani looks forward to supporting the institute’s mission. “I look forward to working with other board members to formulate principles and policies that will govern the activities and operations of the Institute.”
