NITDA's North East ICT Hub in Gombe, Nigeria Officially Commissioned!

Originally published at: https://www.ogbongeblog.com/ict-hub-in-gombe-nigeria-north-east.html

In an effort to prepare Nigeria for digital transformation, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) yesterday commissioned the North East ICT Hub and flag off the training of 100 youths from the Geo political zone on ICT capacity Building for Artisans.

The centre, which houses over 250 computers and other ICT infrastructures,is situated opposite the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe and will serve as a training facility for ICT capacity development in the geo-political zone.

The ICT hub would identify young, brilliant and talented Nigerians from the north-east geo-political zone with innovative and practical ideas, products and services to solve challenges in any sector.

While commissioning the ICT hub in Gombe Nigeria, the Minister of Communications, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, stated that the wisdom behind the establishment of the centre is to promote the Economic Growth and Recovery Plan (EGRP) of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari towards diversifying the nation’s economy.

According to him, the centre will immediately commence the training of 100 youths for them to become employers of labour.

The wisdom of building this centre is not just for to come and browse, read online news or to chat. It is for changing our youths to come up with innovative ideas that if implemented, will go along away in changing our own way of life” he said.

The Minister remarked that Nigeria is blessed with youths who are naturally talented and gifted. What they need is the enabling environment for critical and analytical thinking with the right mentorship that will guide them for proper implementation and translation of their ideas to marketable solutions.

Dr Pantami added that the federal government, through NITDA, has completed the establishment of three ICT hubs in the country which are located in Ibadan, Katsina and Gombe for the South West, North West and North East geo-political zones respectively.

He informed that works are at advance stages in eight other centres across the country. “This intervention is to help the states to solve the challenges of unemployment and to create a culture of self-reliance among Nigerian youths who will, in turn, become employers of labours,” he concluded.

 

In the same vein, the Agency flagged off the training of 100 artisans in ICT capacity building. The training is to focus on mobile phone repairs. The trainees were selected from the state after scaling through a rigorous screening exercise. The highlight of the event was the donation of 300 computers to teachers in the state to aid teaching and learning.