Digital Economy: Ooni of Ife urges NITDA to engage more in youth empowerment

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja 11), has urged the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to empower more youths towards achieving the digital economy agenda.

The traditional ruler made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday by Mrs Hadiza Umar, Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relation of NITDA in Abuja.

According to Umar, he made the appeal when he received Mr Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of NITDA, in his palace.

“Nigerian youths are the backbone of the country’s growth and as someone who is passionate about youth development, I will love to see NITDA doing more in regards to youth empowerment.

“There is need for the agency to expand its initiatives across other regions, especially the Northern region, so that the youth can catch up with their counterparts in other regions of the country,” he said.

He, however, expressed satisfaction on the approach deployed by NITDA in engaging Nigerians to ensure the IT ecosystem developed.

Inuwa had earlier assured that the agency would remain resolute towards discharging its duties by providing Nigerians with basic digital skills through capacity building.

He explained that the Digital Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Promotion of Indigenous Contents were strategic pillars of the agency’s newly approve Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2021 to 2024.

The director-general emphasised that the pillars basically involved the maximum empowerment of youth and use of local innovators to come up with indigenous content that would bring digital solutions for the nation.

According to him, NITDA have been involved in diverse digital innovative solutions through various innovation challenges across the country.

He added that NITDA would continue to come up with developmental initiatives that would better the lives of Nigerians especially in the areas of emerging technologies.