The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has expressed his support for the Project Train 3M initiative, which aims to train three million Nigerians in ICT skills over a four-year period.
Maida, who spoke at the City Business News Summit in Lagos, praised the program’s potential to increase Nigeria’s pool of technically skilled individuals and position the country as a global exporter of digital talent. He noted that the program has already attracted over one million applicants, indicating the strong interest among Nigerians in acquiring ICT skills.
“This program, which has commenced already with over 1 million applications by potential trainees, is expected to increase the level of digital and technical skills among Nigerians, especially young and middle-level talents, to 70 per cent by the end of 2027,” Maida said. “This will position Nigerians to productively contribute to the economy and place us in the top 25 percentile of research globally in the key areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), IoT, Robotics, Blockchain, and Additive Manufacturing in keeping with the strategic plan unveiled by the Honourable Minister.”
Maida also highlighted the importance of the telecommunications sector in driving economic growth and development in Nigeria. He emphasized the NCC’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for the building of critical infrastructure, improving access to quality broadband connectivity, and efficiently managing the nation’s spectrum resources.
“As we work with our supervising Ministry – Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy – to take these steps to provide the enabling environment for repositioning the Nigerian Economy through telecommunications in 2023 and beyond, we call on Nigerians—and especially our compatriots in the media—to tap into the aspects of these interventions that are relevant to them. The ambitious plans we have set out may seem lofty and even incredible, but through strategic partnerships and collaborations with all stakeholders, we believe that they are achievable,” Maida concluded.
In a separate statement, Reuben Muoka, Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, reiterated the commission’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote digital literacy and skill development among Nigerians. He emphasized the importance of these initiatives in preparing Nigeria for the demands of the evolving digital economy.
“The NCC is committed to supporting initiatives that promote digital literacy and skill development among Nigerians,” Muoka said. “We believe that these initiatives are essential to positioning Nigeria as a leading player in the global digital economy. We will continue to work with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and other stakeholders to ensure that these initiatives are successful.”
,%20Dr.%20Aminu%20Maida,%20has%20expressed%20his%20support%20for%20the%20Project)
