The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has fulfilled part of its intervention commitments to the South South region with the successful training and empowerment of youths in Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and broader digital skills development.
The capacity-building programme, facilitated in collaboration with the South South Development Commission (SSDC), was conducted at two pilot centres in Abuja and Uyo, targeting young participants drawn from across the six South-South states.
The intensive training, which lasted for five days, concluded over the weekend, equipping participants with practical knowledge in core IT competencies, emerging AI applications, and other in-demand digital skills designed to enhance employability, entrepreneurship, and innovation readiness.
Beyond technical instruction, beneficiaries were provided with laptops to support continued learning and practical application of their newly acquired skills. Participants also received monetized support packages to facilitate seamless attendance throughout the duration of the programme.
The intervention has been widely acknowledged as a product of the strategic and youth-focused leadership of the Managing Director/CEO of the SSDC, Ms. Usoro Akpabio, whose drive to position South-South youths at the forefront of Nigeriaโs digital economy continues to attract impactful national partnerships.
Officials further disclosed that following the successful pilot phase in Akwa Ibom State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the training programme will be extended to other states across the South-South region to ensure broader reach and inclusive impact.
The initiative aligns with the Federal Governmentโs broader digital transformation agenda, reinforcing NITDAโs mandate to drive digital capacity building and inclusive technology adoption across Nigeria.
Stakeholders also revealed that additional capacity-building programmes are already in the pipeline under the SSDCโNITDA collaboration, aimed at deepening digital inclusion, expanding innovation opportunities, and strengthening the South-Southโs emergence as a competitive hub for technology-driven enterprise.
