How FG Plans To Train 3 Million Technical Talents In Four Years – Dr Bosun Tijani
On Monday, October 3, 2023, Dr Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, released a 31-page blueprint document that highlighted his plans for the digital space. He reiterates his commitment to his plans at the TechCabal Moonshot conference that held on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.
The minister who participated in a fireside chat with Big Cabal’s CEO, Tomiwa Aladekomo, broke down his blueprint as he revealed that his administration has created a model to achieve their goal by training three million technical talents in the next four years.
“We are using a 1-10-100-model. We are starting with 1% of our 3 million target, and that will be for the first three months. And that 1% is going to be 30,000 people. So starting this Friday, you will see applications being released for both trainers and those who want to be fellows,” Tijani said.
He further explained that the 30,000 people will consist of young talents across the country as each state will be allocated spots based on their population and economic activity.
“For a state like Abia, all you need to train is like 500 people in the first three months. From that we go to 10%, 10% of 3 million is 300,000, we apply the same weight, and you will find out that what you need to get 300 million technically trained people in Abia may not be more than 2,000 software developers, then it becomes a lot easier,” he added.
Furthermore, he disclosed that for Nigeria to fully bask in the opportunities that come with applying technology, startups need to be audacious as we need more builders than contractors.
“Contractors supply solutions, they don’t necessarily invent and there’s nothing wrong in that, but the issue is that the culture of R&D is not embedded in that business model. Only startups and builders who can strive to create something new can take the nation to where it needs to be,” he said.
In his blueprint for his term in office, he gave a detailed framework that encompasses five pillars – Knowledge, Policy, Infrastructure, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Capital, and Trade – with these key pillars in place he intends to place Nigeria in the top 25% percentile in research on the global stage, which will cut across Artificial Intelligence and Additive Manufacturing. He also disclosed his plan to achieve 95% digital literacy by 2030 while making sure that Nigeria is a digitally inclusive nation.
