Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the director-general of NITDA, in his opening remarks, emphasised the critical role of digital literacy skills in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.

He highlighted the NDLF as a comprehensive roadmap developed by NITDA, in collaboration with key stakeholders to equip Nigerians with the necessary digital skills to thrive in the digital age.

Inuwa, who was represented by Dr. Falilat Jimoh, of the Digital Inclusion Unit of the  Agency’s South West Zonal Office (SWZO), asserted that the collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Education were underscored, focusing on integrating the framework’s provisions into the national school curriculum.

“This initiative aims to equip students from a young age with foundational digital skills essential for future success,” he noted.

Furthermore, he mentioned that NITDA’s partnership with GIZ/DTC is fostered to establish robust standards for digital literacy content, ensuring high-quality and relevant learning materials aligned with the NDLF’s objectives.

Inuwa stressed that NITDA’s commitment to digital inclusion extends beyond formal education, with ongoing digital literacy programs targeting women, artisans, and other underserved segments of the society.

He emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts, stating that the framework enables the implementation of NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2.0, 2024–2027 pillars, “Fostering Digital Literacy and Cultivating Talents”.

“The SRAP 2.0 is a living document that is being redrafted to align with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy policy document “Accelerating Our Collective Responsibility”, which has Five strategic pillars namely, Knowledge, Policy, Infrastructure, Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Capital, and Trade.

According to the NITDA boss, these programs aim to empower individuals to participate meaningfully in the digital economy and access online opportunities.

“This resonates with the Knowledge pillar of the Ministry tailored to accelerate the collective responsibilities of all stakeholders towards achieving inclusivity in all its dimensions which supports the Renewed Hope Agenda that is focused on propelling the Nigerian economy and enhancing the welfare of its citizens”, he said.

Hence, he stated that the workshop goal is to create widespread awareness about the NDLF through interactive sessions and discussions, providing stakeholders with a deeper understanding of its components, target audiences, and potential impact on bridging the digital divide among Nigerians.

Additionally, the Director-General emphasised the importance of collective action in the successful implementation of the NDLF, expressing gratitude for the collaboration with partners and the participation of stakeholders. He affirmed that the significance of tailoring the framework to the specific needs of Nigeria’s diverse population is to achieve maximum effectiveness.

In conclusion, Inuwa expressed confidence that the NDLF, coupled with collaborative efforts, will play a pivotal role in empowering Nigerians with the digital skills necessary to actively participate in the digital economy, and access online information and opportunities while contributing to a more inclusive and prosperous society. He then urged participants to continue collaborations to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s digital future.

Earlier, Dr. Thuweba Diwani the Commission Manager GIZ/DTC Nigeria in her opening remarks delivered by Olusegun Alimi, the Technical Advisor, GIZ/DTC Nigeria, anticipated that the awareness session would be an avenue to dialogue and come up with a “Participatory Policy Implementation Framework (PPIF)” he added, “for policies to be sustainable they need to be owned by the people”.

The Digital Transformation Centre Nigeria (DTC Nigeria) is a project funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft Fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

It focuses on digitalization, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria, aiming to enhance the country’s digital innovation ecosystem and boost its capacity for adopting digital innovations for economic and societal growth.

Other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the dialogue were, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Lagos Public Private Partnership (PPP), Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), also, the private sectors represented were MTN Foundation, CISCO, Tech4Dev, Fate Foundation among others.

The moderator, Mr. Tayo Olosunde an ecosystem industry enthusiast affirmed that the stakeholders’ sessions had also been held in Kano and Abuja.

Charlie Lee, Managing Director, Samsung Nigeria, disclosed during a press conference at the Samsung office in Lagos, on Monday, November 23.

Mr. Lee said the program is aimed at educating students and unemployed youth to be experienced in key technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution, such as AI, IoT and Big Data, nurturing them to be the next generation workforce.

Mr. Ibukun Adewole, Head of Service at Samsung stated that, “As a socially responsible company in Nigeria, we are trying, to repay the love of the Nigerian people by focusing our empowerment initiatives on education.

“Samsung operated the Samsung Engineering Academy in Lagos until 2018. The program provided skills training to students, and about 140 of the graduates went on to be hired at Samsung or other service centers.

“Along with such technological education, the Samsung Innovation Campus also offers soft skills training to enhance students’ employability and ability to bring their knowledge to life”, he added.

Relating Samsung’s long history and major presence in Nigeria, Charlie Lee added that Samsung established its Nigeria Office in 2005 and has operated the business for 18 years in Lagos. In 2011, Samsung Heavy Industries, an affiliated company, also entered the market.

“Nigeria is an important country. Samsung Nigeria Office supplies products that are closely related to the lives of Nigerian people such as TV’s, smartphones, AC’s, Washing Machines, refrigerators and microwaves. We have become Nigeria’s beloved global company”, he said.

While fielding questions from the press on Samsung’s support of The Republic of Korea’s bid for the World Expo (Busan) 2030, the MD disclosed that three Special envoys of the South Korean president visited Nigeria early this year, in May, June and October.

“The CEO of Samsung Electronics visited Nigeria recently, and had a meeting with Ambassador Adamu Ibrahim Lamuwa, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.” He said.

Reiterating the benefits of the Busan World EXPO to the Nigerian government and people, Chika Nnadozie, Head of Marketing affirmed that the Expo will be a good opportunity to share Korea’s development experience with other countries and discuss ways for the world to grow together.

“This Busan Expo’s purpose would also be aligned with Samsung’s mission to ‘Contribute to society’ as well”, she added.

In his final remarks, Charlie Lee concluded by saying, “The Busan Expo will provide great opportunities to reinforce the relationship between Nigeria and South Korea. I sincerely ask the Nigerian Government for your support for the Busan Expo”.