Chinese firm to invest in Nigerian digital economy, education – Presidency

The Federal Government and a Chinese firm, NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited, have commenced a process to establish digital education institute and provide smart learning classrooms across the country, a presidential aide has said.

Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), made this known to State House correspondents after a meeting with officials of the Chinese firm in the Presidential Villa.

The meeting which was attended by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was is in line with government’s commitment to providing quality education to Nigerian children as stipulated in Goal 4 of SDGs.

Orelope-Adefulire said that the partnership was also designed to facilitate investment in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry by building IT Incubators, Digital Studios and Software Outsourcing and Training Hubs.

According to her, it is geared towards the creation of new jobs in the area of technology and innovation.

“We just held meeting – the acting president and our investors in China; they have come to Nigeria — looking at Nigerian market, digital economy, digital education and how to improve on innovation strategy in Nigeria in terms of innovation hub and digital villages for our people.

“They found Nigeria as a potential market that they can invest in and they have also donated a Smart Classroom for us which was launched yesterday.

“It was indeed a smart classroom going by what young people can do if given the opportunity.

“What we need going forward is to encourage young people and there is nothing difficult for them to do. Something like this can be replicated in the rural areas.

Orelope-Adefulire said that the stakeholders were looking at the possibility of working with the company to expand the horizon and ensure that Nigeria promoted digital economy and digital education.

On his part, Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki, said that modern educational system was based on technology.

He said that the Chinese company had done quite a lot of work in several countries in the world where it had deployed technology to develop teaching methods, train teachers and develop contents to assist children to learn.

Obaseki said that the whole idea was to see how Nigeria could catch up with the rest of the world by deploying technology in learning and helping its children to catch up educationally.