ICT can reduce N1.5trn spent on foreign education – Communication Minister

Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has said that recent commitment of the Federal Government to the development of Information Communication Technology (ICT) can drastically reduce the huge amount of N1.5 trillion being spent on Nigerian students studying in foreign institutions.

The minister said that if the Federal Government succeeded in establishing the proposed ICT University of Nigeria, the country will not only develop world- class local capacity, but also reduce the foreign currency sourced for the training of citizens outside the country.

Shittu said government is prepared to use ICT to foster youth empowerment and development through granting of loans, sponsorships and financial support among other innovative schemes to lucrative business ideas.

The minister made this disclosure recently at a lecture titled, ‘Jobs Nowhere But Jobs Everywhere: ICT To The Rescue Of Unemployed Youths and Graduates’ at the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, said about 20 million youths and graduates are currently unemployed.

In acknowledgement of the Buhari’s administration resolve to use ICT as a critical pillar to leverage on job and wealth creation as well as a critical tool in diversifying the Nigerian economy, he said government established one form of ICT infrastructure or the other across the six geopolitical zones.

Elaborating on the planned ICT University, Shittu said:” We already have the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) which is for short term training programmesin six locations across the country and we will transform this Institute into the ICT University of Nigeria.

This unique university would by God’s grace take off effectively in September 2017 and would be run as a Public Private Partnership with the best business and entrepreneurship models.

“I have engaged with several stakeholders at the international level, Facebook, Motorola, Ericson and am still talking to many more stakeholders. We are encouraging them to come and adopt the respective university campuses as their own.

“I am happy to report that this project is receiving a global boost and endorsement. The committee set up has been working round the clock on the realization of this objective, and has indeed submitted its final report on Tuesday 18th July 2017. A Vice Chancellor and other senior officials would soon be appointed.

“The ICT University will be a multi-campus institution of the present Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) located in Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Asaba and Yola.”

Tony Nwakaegho