The Abia State Government has initiated a partnership with the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Communication, and Digital Economy with the goal of training three million young Nigerians in various aspects of the digital economy. This extensive training program will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will encompass 12 digital skills, including animation, data science, data analysis, visualization, software development, and artificial intelligence.
During a press briefing following the recent Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, provided details of this collaboration. He also mentioned the progress on the Aba – Port Harcourt Express Way construction, with one end expected to be completed by the end of November and the other by December 2023.
Prince Kanu highlighted ongoing educational reforms in the state, stating that the Ministry of Education would recommence inspections of private schools to ensure they meet the minimum standards. He urged Abia youths to consider careers in security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Police and Army, as they are currently recruiting.
Additionally, Commissioner for Digital Economy, Dr. Mathew Ekwuribe, noted that registration for the digital skills training program is open until November 1, with a nationwide launch scheduled for November 15, 2023. This training is a collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and interested youths can register through nitda.gov.ng.
Dr. Ekwuribe also mentioned Governor Alex Otti’s subsidy for the registration of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for 600 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the state, encouraging beneficiaries to seize this opportunity. The government plans to map streets and businesses in Abia State on Google, a project slated to run until December 2024, aimed at boosting online business visibility. Furthermore, there are plans to establish a One-Stop-Shop in Aba to facilitate ease of doing business for residents.
The Director General of the Abia Orientation Agency, Pastor Dike Nwankwo, revealed that the government intends to launch a campaign against street trading and trading on roads. They will also raise awareness about the state’s waste management policies, emphasizing their commitment to discouraging trading on roads and urging Abia people and residents to align with the new Abia agenda.
