Governor Umar Namadi has reiterated that the Jigawa State Government, under his leadership, is fully committed to building a digitally skilled workforce and advancing technology-driven governance as a strategic way to sustainable economic growth, innovation, and shared prosperity across the state.
He asserted this when he presided over the graduation ceremony of 928 youths trained in emerging technologies under the World Bank-assisted Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education and facilitated by Baze University, Abuja, held at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Dutse.
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The governor also unveiled the Jigawa State 12-Point Agenda Digital Performance Portal, a digital platform designed to enhance transparency, accountability and citizen engagement in governance.
The event was attended by the Minister of Education, Dr Moruf Olatunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad; representatives of the World Bank-assisted IDEAS Project; Baze University; senior government officials; development partners; and other stakeholders.
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The graduands had successfully completed a one-year, fully accredited professional diploma program, acquiring competencies in applied artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, business intelligence, data analytics, digital literacy, software engineering, cybersecurity, and other market-relevant digital skills.
Governor Namadi described the programme as part of the state government’s long-term investment in human capital in order to boost the state’s digital economy through youth empowerment.
“This milestone is part of a deliberate and systematic effort to build a critical mass of Jigawa citizens with the professional capabilities required to power our digital economy, support innovation, pursue self-employment, and compete confidently in technology-driven organizations and the evolving world of work,” he said.
The governor described the performance of the graduands as encouraging, announcing that 30 outstanding participants would each receive a laptop computer from the Jigawa State Government, while four others had secured employment with Baze University.
“This is a great achievement not only for the graduands but also for Jigawa State, as it strengthens our progress towards a prosperous, knowledge-driven digital economy.”
Highlighting the priorities of his administration in promoting ICT and advancing e-learning and e-governance in the state, Governor Namadi mentioned the establishment of the Jigawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency (JITDA) and outlined other digital transformation initiatives, including J-COMPETE, J-UNITE, the State ICT Master Plan being implemented in partnership with NITDA, Community ICT Centres across the state, digital skills development through GLUWA, and e-government capacity building for civil servants in collaboration with KOICA.
He also urged the graduands to put their newly acquired competencies to productive use for the benefit of the state in general.
“The competencies you have acquired are valuable assets that must now be applied productively, with discipline, creativity, and responsibility, to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and meaningful service.”
A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Jigawa State 12-Point Agenda Digital Performance Portal, which provides citizens, development partners, investors, and other stakeholders with real-time information on the implementation of government programmes and projects across the state.
“The portal is designed to provide real-time information on progress towards the implementation of our development priorities and give citizens, partners, investors, and other stakeholders clearer access to timely and credible information on government performance,” Governor Namadi stated.
He explained that users would be able to monitor government interventions across all 27 local government areas and 287 political wards, further strengthening transparency and accountability in governance.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Education, Dr Moruf Olatunji Alausa, described the graduation as an important landmark in Nigeria’s drive to equip young people with digital and technical competencies for the knowledge economy, commending Governor Namadi for his commitment to youth development and digital skills acquisition in Jigawa State.
He announced that the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy’s three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, would soon launch the Digital Training Academy (DTA) to provide advanced training and certification in emerging technologies.
Also speaking, the minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, praised the Jigawa State Government’s sustained investment in human capital development and described the ICT training programme as a practical demonstration of the administration’s commitment to preparing young people for opportunities in the digital economy.
She also commended the unveiling of the Digital Performance Portal, describing it as an important initiative that promotes transparency, accountability, and effective public service through technology.
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