The National Information Technology
Development Agency, (NITDA) has awarded scholarship to 80 Nigerian youths to
undertake postgraduate studies in various fields of Information Technology and
related disciplines, ITRealms authoritatively gathered.
This is coming as the agency has concluded
plans to establish IT parks and innovation hubs in its bid to bring ICT to the
doorsteps of Nigerians.
Director General of NITDA, Mr. Peter Jack
who disclosed this at a ceremony to disburse the awards to the students
recently in Abuja, urged the students to focus on technologies that could solve
real life challenges in the country and to develop alliances that can be
helpful to them in the development of their careers in the future.
Mr Jack further called on them to sharpen
their entrepreneurial skills, stressing that the agency’s innovative hubs would
help them fulfil their dreams if they decide to go into entrepreneurship on completion
of their programmes.
“NITDA is already embarking on the creation
of IT parks and innovation hubs. We intend to raise support centres. The
intention is to bring Information and Communication Technology to the doorsteps
of every Nigerian. We plan to create 600,000 IT entrepreneurs and 1.2 million
jobs. We are working closely to synergise our resources with other agencies in
the country. Substantial resources have been invested in the last few years to
build capacity in the ICT sector. There is a need for us to play among the top
players in the ICT sector by the year 2020. We enjoin you to do your best to
make Nigeria proud. Innovation is the way forward to improve the quality of
life in Nigeria,” he said.
The scholarship programme is based on merit
and covers the six geo – political zones of the country.
ITrealms gathered that 74 of the graduates (two
from each of the states and the Federal Capital Territory) will be pursuing
master’s degree programmes while six of them selected from six geo-political
zones of the country will be pursuing doctorate degrees in Information
Technology and related fields.
Chukwudi Obi
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