In continuation of its drive to
engender innovations, the National Information Technology Development Agency
(NITDA), Wednesday, lifted Katsina State on the scale of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) with an Innovation Hub, reports ITRealms.
The hub located at Katsina State
Institute of Technology and Management (KSITM), ITRealms gathered, is one among the six
(6) of its kind to be established by NITDA across the geo-political zones of
the country.
Katsina State in the North
Western region is one of the most populous states in Nigeria with a high number
of productive youths, and the State also has given adequate attention to the
ICT sector in the past through increasing commitment to exploit the latest
trends in ICT for the development of the State.
The Executive Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello
Masari, who was ably represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr
Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa, noted that Katsina State has long recognized the
importance of ICT and in the pursuit of using ICT for national development, the
State has established Kastina State Institute of Technology and Management
(KSITM) to offer training in national diploma and degree certificates for
Katsina State indigenes and Nigerians at large. KSITM, which hosts the ICT
Incubation Hub has been given unrelenting attention to champion the buildup
process towards ultimate e-Governance in the state through Research and
Development to become a veritable platform for socio-economic upliftment of the
teeming unemployed youths who will venture into competitive global
entrepreneurship in ICT.
The Director General of National
Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami,
PhD, FBCS, FIIM, while delivering the keynote address stated that Katsina State
has been providing enabling environment that encourages strategic partnerships
on initiatives that attract investments in ICT and other sectors of the
economy. Citing example with the establishment of KSITM to drive technological
innovations in the State and environs; the MTN Livestock Tracking Solution; and
the Mobile Electricity Service are some of the strategic partnership that will
transform the State. All these informed the choice of Katsina State and KSITM
to host the Hub.
The DG further stated that the
country under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking to
minimize her dependency on oil by diversifying the economy to evolve entirely
new industries and enable the existing ones. The main driver of these
industries is ICT. Therefore, we must encourage and empower our pool of young
talented youths to take advantage of the digital era.
Innovation Hub is a social work
space and research centre that provides the subject matter expertise on
technology trends, knowledge and strategic innovation management. It is also an
avenue to enhance learning and research through digital access to academic
resources in educational institutions. The Hub is designed to increase digital
penetration, provide youths with access to digital and online content through
eLearning applications for effective learning and self-employment.
NITDA, ITRealms recalls, is responsible
for developing and regulating the IT sector of the country backed by NITDA ACT,
2007, with mandate to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and
coordinate other general IT development and regulation in the country through
the formation of standards, policies, frameworks, guidelines, developmental
programmes and initiatives.
Uboshe Uboshe/GEE
Pix: Executive Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari. Short URLs: goo.gl, mcaf.ee, cli.gs
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