In an effort to improve broadband penetration, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has launched a book on digital skills development in Abuja
This move is targeted at improved broadband penetration in Nigerian higher institutions and boosting the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The Minister speaking at the official launch of some projects (approved by the Federal Executive Council), said that the book was one of the other important development items that were unveiled in Abuja with the others being the launch of the broadband infrastructure for higher institutions of learning; the broadband infrastructure for MSMEs and distribution of 6,000 e-pad tablets to institutions of higher learning.
The book, authored by the Minister with the title “Skills Rather Than Just Degrees”, is the culmination of the Minister’s drive to help equip the Nigerian higher institutions of learning and the MSMEs with digital innovation to make the Nigerian youth entrepreneur less dependent on degree certificates.
The Minister noted that these have become necessary judging by the key role higher education and MSMEs play in the development of the country, which was why the government developed the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a digital Nigeria unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari on 28 November 2019.
The government as part of measures to implement the NDEPs also initiated the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025, in which pillar number two speaks on broadband penetration.
Pantami said “Our MSMEs in Nigeria are so far up to 39. 3 million according to SMEDAN. They contributed 46.7% to the GDP in 2020 and by implication, almost half of our GDP is from MSME. When it comes to all the businesses we have in Nigeria, 96.7% of our entire businesses in Nigeria are under MSMEs. So, any efforts to develop our economy without bringing them into the equation, success is absolutely difficult to attain.
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“Today all over the world there is no way we can promote our education, there is no way we can promote commercial activities without broadband.
He noted that in Phase 1 of the project, 18 higher intuitions, three in each geo-political zone, have been selected to be provided unlimited access to the internet. 20 markets, 3 from each zone, were also selected in addition to the Wuse Market in Abuja and a market in Lagos.
He added that the federal government approved over N16 billion to provide broadband penetration to these higher institutions of learning and for the markets to support MSMEs, which the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has the task of implementing.
He said that in this phase 1, each university will benefit from the broadband infrastructure to the tune of around N400 million, the same with the markets.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Garba Umar Danbatta, while speaking, said the interventions were ambitious, adding that the commission is committed to implementing the various projects and various policies regarding broadband infrastructure in a manner that is ubiquitous.
He promised to make available ICT equipment that will allow access to these services, saying “access and connectivity have indeed emerged as foundations for future growth as well as the foundation for the economic transformation of our society”.
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