The Federal Government has announced the establishment of a N100 million technology fund, which would target 2,000 youth in two years.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made this announcement during the inauguration of a Digital Nigeria Centre, a project executed by the Universal Service Provision Fund, an arm of NCC, at the Ijesa Muslim Grammar School, Ilesa, Osun State.
This was contained in a press statement by the Nigerian Communications Commission on Monday.
The statement was titled ‘FG Applauds NCC’s Commitment to Enhancing Digital Skill in Youths’.
The minister represented the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) at the inauguration.
The statement read in part, “On the sideline of the commissioning, Aregbesola also announced the establishment of President Muhammadu Buhari N100 million Technology Fund for Youth Empowerment, to nudge the emergence of world-class technology experts.
“The Minister of Interior stated that the Fund targets 2,000 youths in the next two years, who will be provided with devices for training in different areas such as software development and design, amongst others.”
The minister also commended the NCC for its efforts at promoting digital skills among young people.
On the DNC, the statement read, “The DNC, formerly known as School Knowledge Centre, is one of the projects in the Access Programme framework of the USPF, conceptualized to promote the availability and utilisation of ICT and resources of the Internet in teaching and learning in public schools in underserved, unserved and rural areas.
“Specific objectives of DNC are to increase ICT literacy among school teachers and students; provide a platform for accessing online educational resources; equip students with ICT skills; facilitate ICT adoption in teaching and learning; as well as increase pass rate in Mathematics, English language and other science subjects.
