NITDA marks the TIES scheme to close the digital divide

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has flagged the Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES) scheme, as a means to provide young Nigerians with the required digital skills and viable tech businesses to contribute significantly job creation and economic prosperity in the country.

This is in furtherance of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ambitious administrative policy of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

NITDA CEO and CEO Kashifu Inuwa officially announced the TIES Scheme during a hybrid session that took place live at the Venture Park Hub in Abuja, while other venues including Lagos, Port Harcourt, Katsina, Kano and Enugu attended. joined virtually.

Inuwa revealed that NITDA had conceptualized and designed the TIES Scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a capacity building program aimed at addressing digital skills gaps through trainings for center managers, incubation job provision to ensure the massive creation of entrepreneurs and jobs within the ecosystem for young Nigerians.

“As an agency, we notice that most of the talented young people who have ideas lack mentorship. Innovative solutions are needed to address the problems in the country that NITDA is helping by creating the pathway that would provide a balance between innovators and markets,” she added.

The Director General said he was optimistic that the TIES Scheme would accelerate the country’s prosperity, while enabling NITDA to meet the target of reaching 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030.

However, TIES committee chair Dr. Abdullahi Usman Gambo expressed optimism about the success of the program through support from industry partners, adding that NITDA hopes the partners will help achieve the target number of trainers. within the stipulated time. framework through the training of trainers method.

Along the same lines, Venture Park Hub CEO Mr. Jayeola Okuazun, in his remarks, expressed his gratitude to the federal government for bridging the gap for talented young entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

“Our mission is very clear, we are here to build the future of Africa and to be able to do it in my language we speak many proverbs, there is one that says that a hand cannot lift a load on the head”, he indicated that the collaborative measures between the federal government and the different Hubs would improve the development of the nation,” said Okuazun.