The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said it is putting a lot of efforts and resources in ensuring that the bulk of graduates from universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria are focused on creating jobs rather than seeking for jobs.
The Director General of NITDA, Mal. Kashifu Inuwa made this assertion at the 1st Baze University’s ‘Information Technology, Research and Innovation week’ in Abuja recently.
He disclosed that NITDA, being the IT regulator in the country through the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) is working with startups as key contributors to developing an entrepreneur economy.
Mal. Inuwa, who was represented by the National Director of National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR) Engr. Yau Garba, noted that as an effort to create enabling environment that will ultimately allows the graduates to create jobs, NITDA has decided to carved out subsidiaries.
The subsidiaries, according to him are the Office for IT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE) and the Office for Nigerian Content (ONC) which are merged to become Office for Nigerian Digital and Innovation (ONDI).
“We also have the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, whose core mandate is to conduct Research and Development in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence AI, Drones, Block Chain, Internet of things IoT,” he said.
He added that other activities of the Centre focuses on Capacity Building and Partnerships with relevant Agencies and Universities in areas of national interest that challenge the nation.
Referring to the topic of the session “Challenges and Opportunities of Entrepreneurship Startups”, Inuwa mentioned that the Agency deals with companies that have global impact to solve challenges and create entrepreneur opportunities.
“While the focus is not about profiting”, he explained that ventures like Risk Capitalists and Angel Investors promote businesses that produces substantial number of jobs such as Uber, Jumia and the Nigerian unicorns like Flutterwave and Paystack needs to be replicated as much as possible to ensure a digital economy,” he added.
Inuwa mentioned that the Agency has the support of some international organizations like Japan International Cooperation Agency on new models for incubation and acceleration programmes.