ICT And Digital Transformation Plan Part 1 By Ifedi Okwenna
Dr Ifedi A. Okwenna
Technology is evolving at a greater pace than ever before seen in human history, accelerating to an extent that many feel it is developing faster than the human ability can comprehend it. EU Commission states that by 2025, over 4.3 billion gadgets will be connected and 90% of all jobs will require digital skills. These projections were made before Covid-19 pandemic, which has further fast-tracked the demand for ICT and Digital technology. With the world in short supply of IT talents, there is an urgent need for our State to train and develop our youths to be part of this new hi-tech world for work and industries of the future. Our state should be able to provide a manpower on IT innovation, incubation and entrepreneurship. Through this, we shall from Anambra, supply the world with talents that will create capital, build wealth and reduce poverty.
Our target is for Anambra state to be one of the top exporters of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). ICT shall therefore be one of the key factors for economic development of our state.
We shall encourage our youths to train in IT and transform the misguided ones from using their creative talents to engage in cyber frauds (Yahoo Yahoo) to using them as innovators and incubators of ideas. Our youths will be trained to prepare IT strategies, develop software, perform management tasks and manage processes; Identify and define IT-related demands, select the IT-systems that meet those demands and implement them in the different functional units of their establishments; They will analyse business systems and act as system advisors and lead such projects.
These young trainees shall form the backbone of our e-governance, e-business and e-learning policies and programmes.
- Development of Anambra State Global Tech Hub.
Going forward, my Government shall immediately on coming to office commence the establishment:
a. A state-of-the-art Tech Hub campus, with an innovation center, e-business center, global solution center, and global e-support center.
b. A digital-technology curriculum that is recognized globally and provides participants with valuable skills and accreditation
c. Commence Foundational training to Anambra State Youths (200,000 citizens over a 4-year period) that will boost short- and long-term local capabilities to attract more employers, better jobs, new investors, and like-minded innovators to create a virtuous circle of prosperity.
d. An enhanced infrastructure internet, reliable power systems, and the most advanced technology laboratories in the world. We will collaborate with telco’s to roll out affordable fibre broadband to most parts of the state
e. An ecosystem built around delivering innovative solutions to the world’s most challenging problems and collaboration among private, public, investment, and academic organizations.
- Expected Benefits:
When fully established, a Tech Hub can drive significant value to local and regional economies. There are multiple benefits which our state will derive and these include:
a. Professional training to Anambra youths, enhanced employability, wealth creation and poverty alleviation.
b. Raise youth employment by at least 20 percent.
c. Increased investment flow through the creation and marketing of the largest ICT Business Hub in Nigeria.
d. GDP growth, foreign investment growth, and additional tax revenue through the diversification of the economy to Digital Technology.
e. Infrastructure development of the state with enhanced internet access and improved power systems for citizens.
f. Establishing Anambra State as a globally recognized Tech Hub and therefrom play a key role in driving forward both the local and national economy, with the creation of new businesses and high-paying careers for the people of Anambra State.
- Development of Innovation Centre and Rolling Out of Digital Technology Training.
Noting that the achieving fully the benefits of establishing a Tech Hub, may take time, and based on the urgency needed in engaging our youths, I shall in coming to office immediately start a number of focused, tactical interventions that can be undertaken to derive quick wins for the state.
The tactical interventions shall be the immediate roll-out of our introductory digital technology training courses (utilizing the existing facilities within the State Secretariat.
Utilizing part of the old State Secretariat complex, Government will roll-out the following introductory courses:
a. Introduction to Digital Technology
- Basic Coding,
- Robotics,
- Virtual Reality,
- 3D Printing
- Software development
b. Introduction to Cybersecurity and Fraud
Each course lasts for one week and is fully accredited, providing attendees an excellent grounding in digital technology, cybersecurity and fraud, while enhancing their employment prospects.
Successful participants in this stage shall graduate to another stage until the fifth and final stage.
Government will hire experts within the state to run the training programs. We will also recruit our local experts to look after marketing and course administration.
c. Development of a small-scale take-off Innovation Center in Awka
Innovation Centers have been developed in a number of cities around the world, and they provide an environment that fosters collaboration, learning, and entrepreneurship and encourage innovative start-ups.
We will develop within our first 100 days in office, a small scale Innovation Center in Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi with the following characteristics:
• Shared working facility to accommodate up to 100 people
• 20 dedicated business rooms (each room accommodating up to 8 people)
• Shared meeting room with video conferencing
• Training room equipped with the latest digital technology (accommodating 100 people)
• Café and relaxation area
The shared working space would be made available to local entrepreneurs and business start-ups who would also have full access to all shared facilities and use of the equipment in the training room. Business rooms would be available for rent.
Join us, let’s go to work.
It’s possible.
