The Federal Government has established a center to provide students and citizens with Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills and to prepare them for a digital and for a driven future technologically.

On behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, inaugurated the facility at Ijesa Muslim Grammar School in Osun on Friday.

According to Aregbesola, the National Communication Commission (NCC) built and outfitted the center to train students in ICT skills such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.

He said government would continue to equip students and citizens with ICT skills such as machine learning, artificial intelligence in order to prepare them for the future that will be strictly driven by technology.

“I am aware that the programme was conceptualized to promote the availability and utilisation of ICT and resources of the Internet in teaching and learning in public schools in underserved, unserved and rural areas. In other words, this Digital Nigeria Centre has been designed to promote the connection of public secondary schools to broadband internet in Ilesa community, and the goal is to equip beneficiaries with 21st Century skills.

“More concretely, the specific objectives of Digital Nigeria Centre include; increasing ICT literacy among school teachers and students, providing a platform for accessing online educational resources, equipping students with ICT skills, facilitating ICT adoption in teaching and learning and ultimately to increase pass rate in mathematics, English language and other science subjects,” the Minister stated.

The Minister said timely execution of the project was significant and commendable.

He said, “Interestingly, at least six major automakers, including Ford, Mercedes Benz, General Motors and Volvo joined the governments of 30 countries in November last year to pledge to stop the production and sales of internal combustion engine cars by 2040.

“The implication is that even a mechanic should be ICT compliant. Any mechanic that can’t use ICT tools will find himself out of job. Indeed, in the next 20 years, anyone not ICT compliant may not be part of humanity again, considering that it will be impossible to function and interact with other humans.”

Aregbesola announced the establishment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s N100 million Technology Empowerment Fund to create world-class technology experts, targeting 2000 youths in the next two years in Ijesaland who will be provided with devices for training in different areas such as software development and design, amongst others.

The Digital Nigeria Centre (DNC) is a project facilitated through the Universal Service Provision Fund of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

In his remarks, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, who was represented by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Communication Commission, Prof. Adeolu Akande, stated that the DNC centre will no doubt help in fast-tracking the acquisition of digital skills required for the implementation of the digital economy drive of the

The Governor the State of Osun, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola represented at the event by his Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Babatunde Olawale, opined that Nigeria cannot be left behind by the digital revolution of the world noting that his administration also focuses on building a sustainable economy through e-government which is government is grateful to the Federal Government for siting the DNC project in Osun.