The Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi has said “we need to change the conventional way of teaching and the way we do things. Polytechnics are strategic institutions that serve as the engine room of technological development aimed at creating jobs and revenue generation flow across the country”.
The DG made this known today while receiving the Management of Federal Polytechnic Nassarawa State led by its Rector, Dr Abdullahi Alhassan Ahmad at the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
The NITDA boss stressed that, “There is need to reengineer the skills and tools being used to suit the current trend of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain technology, cloud and edge computing and other related technologies. We need to create an economy for the ecosystem to develop the needs and wants of the society, he added.
Mallam Abdullahi revealed that the National Information Technology Development Fund Scheme (NITDEF) which sponsors individuals abroad to study in various IT related fields has been put on hold for us look inwards, this is to enable more investments in human skills acquisition which will directly or indirectly create jobs across the country bringing about revenue flow.
NITDA has been doing a lot in the areas of IT intervention in institutions across the country which is aimed at building the knowledge and capacities of individuals across the country, he said. Coming to the Agency to seek for collaboration is a plus towards the deepening of IT across students of the institution and the country at large.
We can work together to bring out a game changer for the growth and development of the country, we need to work hand in hand to achieve both the Agency’s mandates and that of the institution, he added.
Earlier in his remarks, the Rector Federal Polytechnic Nassarawa State, Dr Abdullahi Alhassan Ahmed applauded the Director General of NITDA for the various initiatives of the Agency has implemented towards the drive of IT across the country.
This will enable the growth and development of the economy due to the continued rise of IT contributions to the Nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The visit was to collaborate on areas of Human Capacity Development and IT infrastructural Development between the Agency and the Institution which will serve not only to the institution alone but the immediate community and the nation at large, he added.
“Our desire as an institution is to become a reference point in terms of ICT infrastructure and standard training facilities that can adequately cater for the staff and students of the institution”, he said.
“Considering the Mandate of the Agency and that of the Institution which is naturally designed to work together for Nigeria to achieve the desired and designed ICT targets for the nation’s growth and development on Information Technology by extension growth and development in other spheres of life”, he added.
Alhassan said that it may interest NITDA to know that the current management of Federal Polytechnic Nassarawa State has deployed a lot of resources in the provision of computer laboratories, upgrading of some facilities and initiating new projects, but inflow of students and continued professionalism of staff make it difficult to reach the level of adequacy and sufficiency.
