STAKEHOLDERS and experts have described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision to increase Nigeria’s digital literacy from zero in 2023 to 70% by 2027 as a lifeline, and a roadmap to economic diversification, industrialisation, and national transformation.
The stakeholders and experts expressed this as the federal government takes a giant stride towards addressing the ever-growing digital skills gap in the country with the launch by the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) of its Global Certification Partnership and Global Training Partner programme in Lagos its Lagos office on Tuesday.
The President of DBI, Mr. David Daser, declared that Nigeria faces a significant skills gap in the ICT sector like many other nations, adding that only 7 per cent of Nigerian youths, between the ages of 15 and 24 have marketable ICT skills needed for working and living in a digital economy.
Other speakers, which include the Chairman, Commit Technology and Consult Ltd., Dr. Niran Oyekale; the CEO, Nigeria Climate Innovation Center (NCIC), Mr. Bankole Oloruntoba; and the Head of Unit, Learning and development, DBI, Mr. Emeka Nzeih, agreed that Nigeria cannot afford to wait as the global skills shortage is rising; warning that the jobs of the future are not waiting for degrees alone, but for skills-verifiable, globally recognised skills.
Quoting from the UNICEF data and 2020 report of Palladium Group, the DBI President lamented that this important segment of the population represents a significant portion of Nigeria’s population, regretting that 55 per cent of the youth population in Nigeria are either underemployed or unemployed due to skills mismatch and labour market requirement.
Mr. Daser said: “Nigeria, like many other nations, faces a significant skills gap in the ICT sector. According to UNICEF, only 7% of 15-24-year-olds in Nigeria have marketable ICT skills needed for working and living in a digital economy, and this population segment represents a significant portion of Nigeria’s population.
“In a 2020 report by Palladium Group, it was stated that 55% of the youth population in Nigeria are either underemployed or unemployed, mostly due to a mismatch between the job market and the skills youth are trained in. This is because practical, digital, and entrepreneurial skills that would better prepare youth for future employment are mostly lacking in the current education system.”
According to him, this has consequently, led to a noticeable mismatch between expected and actual skills of graduates, especially in communication, IT, decision making, critical thinking, entrepreneurial and other allied skills.
He stated that the launch of the DBI Certificate Licensing Programme, therefore, marks a significant milestone in our journey to promote digital literacy, skills and capacity building in Nigeria, adding that it was a landmark moment for the Institute, the ICT sector in Nigeria, and all stakeholders committed to advancing digital skills, innovation and transformation in the country and beyond.
By licensing its programmes, he emphasized that the DBI will enable Nigerian Youths to acquire in-demand skills and contribute to reducing unemployment and underemployment in the country.
Daser explained that the DBI GTP/GCP was designed to provide individuals and organizations with a robust framework for developing and validating ICT skills; adding, “it is a product of extensive research, consultation, and collaboration with industry experts, academia, and key government agencies.
“The initiative is driven by a vision to ensure that as Nigeria gets positioned to play a greater role in the global ICT ecosystem, which is evolving at an unprecedented pace, qualified training Institutions and technology hubs can enact high-quality training under the Digital Bridge Institute banner. Thus, DBI is democratizing access to ICT training and certifications by licensing its training programmes to qualified institutions, trainers, and organizations across Nigeria.
“By doing so, it aims to create a network of certified training providers who can deliver DBI curriculum to learners in every state in the country. It is also pertinent to state that this is the appropriate time for a Local Certification for benchmarking digital skills in Nigeria, and DBI, in its usual proactive posture, is poised to provide this.”
In his keynote address, the Chairman, Commit Technology and Consult Ltd., Dr. Niran Oyekale, said the global skills shortage is rising, and approaching 80%, adding that in just five years, millions of jobs in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and digital services would be open, but unfilled-because the right talents are missing.
He stated that Nigeria has the talent, but presently lacked the strategy, even as he stressed the need for the commitment to ensure that Nigerian youths are not left behind in this digital revolution.
“This is why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision-to increase Nigeria’s digital literacy from zero in 2023 to 70% by 2027-is not just an ambitious target. It is a lifeline. It is a roadmap to economic diversification, industrialization, and national transformation,” he added.
Dr. Niran Oyekale said: “The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, and technology is at the heart of this transformation. Skills- not oil, not natural resources- are now the world’s most valuable currency. Countries that equip their people with 21st-century skills are the ones shaping the future. The question before us today is: Will Nigeria be a consumer in this global economy, or will we be a key player, exporting talent and innovation to the world?”
In his speech, Mr. Bankole Oloruntoba, said the initiative was a defining moment in our collective pursuit of excellence in digital skills development, workforce upskilling, and global competitiveness.
He said: “As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of technology, education, and workforce development, the question before us is clear: How do we ensure that individuals, institutions, and industries remain ahead of the curve in the digital economy? The answer lies in strategic collaborations, and today, I want to highlight the unparalleled benefits of partnering with DBI in this transformative journey.”
Stressing the need and importance of collaborating with the DBI, he pointed out that DBI has consistently demonstrated leadership in bridging skill gaps and fostering digital empowerment across Nigeria and beyond.
Through the Global Certification Partnership (GCP) and Global Training Partner Program (GTPP), Mr. Oloruntoba emphasized that the DBI is setting new benchmarks in digital education, offering stakeholders a unique opportunity to engage in a world-class ecosystem of knowledge and innovation.
