Prif. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications commission (NCC), stated this while delivering the combined 10th and 11th Convocation Lecture of Fountain University, on Thursday in Osogbo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture has as its theme: “Empowering Nigeria Youth Through Information and Communications Technology (ICT).”
According to Danbatta, ICT is now synonymous with empowerment, as it transforms processes effectively and plays the role of an enabler in the various sectors of the economy for national development.
He said, ”ICT revolution has created opportunities for the youth in the labour market globally.
”The World Economic Forum 2019 affirmed that at least 133 million new roles may emerge globally by 2022 as a result of the new division of labour between humans, machines and algorithms.
“In fact, the impact of ICT to socio-economic development and transformation has been so monumental, that it is credited with ushering the fourth industrial revolution.
”As a measure to consolidate the gains of ICT revolutions in Nigeria, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy 2020-2030 and the National Broadband plan 2020-2025, were launched by President Muhammadu Buhari to further strengthen ICT usage and adoption in the country.”
Danbatta also said that the ICT sector had been consistently contributing above 10 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP for over 10 years, adding that as of fourth quarter of 2020, the telecom sector alone contributed 12.45 per cent to GDP.
According to him, Nigeria is Africa’s largest ICT market with 82 per cent of the continent telecoms subscribers and 29 per cent of internet usage.
He said the NCC had put in place various ICT youth empowerment initiatives to create a digitally skilled workforce that would fit into the Digital economy project of the country.
He added that the commission was also committed to fostering partnership with the technology hubs and start-ups to accelerate innovations and creation of a digitally skilled workforce for industrial growth and sustainable development.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Amidu Sanni, said the choice of the theme of the lecture was not accidental, but deliberate.
Sanni said that the institution was engaging its students in innovations, skill development and Artificial Intelligence through ICT. (NAN)
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