The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched the 2024 Digital Nigeria Innovation Challenge. This initiative demonstrates NITDA’s commitment to utilizing digital solutions for sustainable development across various states in the country. The challenge invites participants to form teams and create innovative digital maps highlighting essential infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools, and utilities. NITDA aims to generate valuable insights by facilitating collaboration and leveraging technology to enhance Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape.
A total of N11 million in cash prizes is available for participants excelling in developing actionable and detailed digital maps. Each competing team, consisting of 2 to 5 members, is tasked with representing a specific Nigerian state and applying their understanding of local infrastructure needs to produce comprehensive visualizations. The goal is to create compelling maps that will be useful for government agencies, startups, and international organizations, bridging the gap between technology and infrastructure to pave the way for a more informed approach to policy-making and development planning.
NITDA’s initiatives go beyond the innovation challenge. The director-general of the agency, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, aims to ensure that 30 million Nigerians achieve digital literacy by 2027. This aligns with the federal government’s commitment to diversify the national economy and foster a digitally adept workforce. As part of this effort, NITDA has proposed integrating digital literacy into formal educational curricula starting next year.
The Digital Literacy for All program, recently launched in Minna, Niger State, seeks to equip citizens with essential digital skills, emphasizing competencies such as data protection and content creation. By training National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to serve as digital champions within each state, the initiative aims to empower individuals at the grassroots level, ensuring that foundational digital skills reach every corner of the country, particularly in the 774 local government areas.
NITDA’s efforts reflect a profound understanding of the role digital skills play in today’s economy. By fostering digital literacy, the agency is not only addressing immediate infrastructure deficits but also preparing Nigerians for future challenges and opportunities within the global digital ecosystem.
