The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has been recognised for its efforts to use education to transform Nigeria by winning the esteemed Coursera Global Impact Award.
Through Coursera, a prominent global online learning platform, people can learn new skills by enrolling in courses and earning degrees from prestigious institutions and businesses worldwide.
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Other Coursera Global Impact award winners
The 12th annual Coursera Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, featured an award ceremony where forward-thinking companies worldwide were honoured for their contributions to education and the future of learning.
Additional winners include Goeasy (Talent Transformation Award), Prince Sultan University (Engagement Excellence Award), Dr Kelvin Bentley of the University of Texas System (Learning Hero Award), iPeople, Larsen & Toubro, and the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan as joint winners of the AI Innovation Award.
NITDA Director General’s remark
The director general of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, thanked the organisers and underlined the dedication of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in Nigeria to bolstering the country’s economy via innovation and technology.
After accepting the award at the ceremony, Inuwa stated, “Our vision prioritises ICT as a fundamental component across all sectors, promoting sustainable growth and development in the country.
“In order to improve efficiency and information management, we are also focussing on internal transformation at NITDA, fostering a vibrant organisational culture and advancing our workforce in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.”
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NITDA’s efforts in advancing digital skills
To advance digital skills and establish Nigeria as a possible global talent exporter, NITDA created the “1 Million Developers and Skills Initiative” as part of its vision. The program started in September 2022 and initially gave trainees 4,000 licenses.
The agency’s most recent accolade is evidence of the program’s accomplishments. In just two years, 8,000 people completed approximately 60,000 courses on the Coursera platform, accounting for over 200,000 learning hours.
The strategic alliance addresses immediate skill gaps, lays the groundwork for digital transformation, and significantly enhances the trainees’ productivity, employability, and skills.”