…pilot phase in 12 states
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has kicked off its Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative with the training of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members across 12 states of the federation.
This initiative is in line with NITDA’s vision to propel Nigeria towards achieving a 70 per cent digital literacy level by 2027.
NITDA’s DL4ALL initiative aims at training a critical mass of Nigerians in foundational digital literacy skills to equip them with the necessary tools to access and utilise online resources for education, employment, and financial services safely; protect themselves online from cyber threats and misinformation; communicate and collaborate effectively using digital tools; and develop the digital fluency required for many in-demand jobs.
The initiative seeks to deliver six core competency areas – Devices and Software Operation, Information & Data Literacy, Communication and Collaboration, Digital Content Creation, Safety and Problem Solving – that will provide a foundational understanding of essential digital literacy required in today’s technology-driven world.
The training of selected Youth Corps members comes under the pilot phase of the initiative and will run in Kebbi, Kwara, Ekiti, Osun, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Yobe, Gombe, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Abia States, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, before a nationwide deployment.
The selected corps members will undergo a comprehensive two-week digital literacy training programme and will thereafter receive a 10-week online training in either Graphics, Video Editing, or Digital Marketing on the GetBundi Education Technology platform. This training will equip them with valuable skills for their professional development and make them employable as well enlisted in the digital job portal. They will also be onboarded as Digital Literacy Champions and become NITDA ambassadors, training and sharing their knowledge with peers, community, family, and friends.
They corps members will be trained by master trainers who have been trained by GetBundi Education Technology, which is also a partner with NITDA on the DL4ALL initiative.
GetBundi, an edtech platform that is poised to equip Africans with digital skills relevant for the 21st-century digital economy, has already created learning videos and infographics in the six competency areas of the DL4ALL in strict adherence to NITDA’s digital literacy framework.
It will be recalled that NITDA had in July announced its plan to train selected NYSC members as well as 5,000 youths from the creative industry and selected individuals in the informal sector as Digital Literacy Champions.
At a meet-and-greet with members of the creative industry in Lagos early in July, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, restated the importance of digital literacy in the rapidly evolving digital age.
“It serves as the foundation upon which creativity and innovation are built, enabling individuals to not only adapt to but also shape the future,” said the NITDA DG, who was represented by the Director, Corporate Planning & Strategy, Dr Aristotle Onumo.
“We are paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future where digital literacy is a cornerstone of success,” he said.
Also speaking, the Founder of GetBundi Education Technology, Osita Oparaugo, described digital literacy as the cornerstone of successful digital transformation in governance and society.
“Without digital literacy, the true potential of digital transformation remains untapped, leaving individuals and communities at a disadvantage,” Oparaugo said.
“To Nigerian youths, NYSC members, creative industry professionals, and individuals in the 12 selected states for the pilot phase, this is your chance to engage in knowledge exchange and skill enhancement. I have seen first hand the passion of the director general of NITDA in seeing that this programme succeeds, and that Nigerians are empowered to thrive in this digital era. Let’s work together towards fostering a brighter digital future for all,” he said.
