The National Information Technology Development Fund Scheme (NITDEF), which sponsors individuals abroad to study in various IT related fields has been suspended, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Mal. Kashifu Inuwa has revealed.
Mal. Inuwa revealed this when he received the Management of Federal Polytechnic Nassarawa State led by its Rector, Dr Abdullahi Alhassan Ahmad at the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
He said the suspension of the scheme is to allow Nigeria look inward by investing in human skills acquisition, which will directly or indirectly create jobs across the country and ultimately, bring about more revenue flow.
“There is need to re-engineer the skills and tools being used to suit the current trend of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain technology, cloud and edge computing and other related technologies. We need to create an economy for the ecosystem to develop the needs and wants of the society, he said.
He argued that the conventional way of teaching and the way we do things need to be changed, emphasizing that Polytechnics are strategic institutions that serves as the engine room of technological development aimed at creating jobs and revenue generation flow across the country.
according to the DG, NITDA has been doing alot in the areas of IT intervention in institutions across the country which are aimed at building the knowledge and capacities of individuals across the country. Thus cming to the Agency to seek for collaboration is a plus for the Polytechnic towards the deepening the knowledge of IT students in the institution and the country at large.
“We can work together to bring out a game changer for the growth and development of the country, we need to work hand in hand to achieve both the Agency’s mandates and that of the institution, he added.
Earlier in his remarks, the Rector Federal Polytechnic Nassarawa State, Dr Abdullahi Alhassan Ahmed applauded the Director General of NITDA for the various initiatives the Agency has implemented towards the drive of IT across the country.
The Rector believes that the initiatives will enable the growth and development of the economy due to the continued rise of IT contributions to the Nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He said the visit was to collaborate on areas of Human Capacity Development and IT infrastructural Development between the Agency and the Institution which will serve not only to the institution alone but the immediate community and the nation at large.
“Our desire as an institution is to become a reference point in terms of ICT infrastructure and standard training facilities that can adequately cater for the staff and students of the institution”, he said.
NITDEF Scholarship Scheme is a prestigious scholarship program offered by the National Information Technology Development Agency. The study award is open for Masters and Doctoral degrees in relevant areas of Information Technology (IT) and ICT Law obtainable in Nigerian (Government and Private) Universities.
NITDA has sole responsibility for developing programs that cater to the running of ICT related activities in the country. It is mandated with the implementation of policies guideline for driving ICT in Nigeria.