The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, has outlined Nigeria’s plan to transform into a net exporter of technology talents, using the success of India as an example.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Minister Tijani spoke about the government’s commitment to leveraging the nation’s potential to foster a robust digital economy.
“Our goal is to make Nigeria a net exporter of technology talents. We have everything it takes to get there,” Minister Tijani affirmed during the interview.
Speaking about his ministry flagship programme aimed at addressing youth unemployment, Minister Tijani unveiled plans to train three million technical talents within four years.
“We want to make Nigeria a net exporter of technology talents, and by net exporter, we don’t mean that people necessarily live abroad because within the technology space you can now work remotely,” Minister Tijani elucidated.
Drawing parallels with India’s technological prowess, Minister Tijani stated the important role of talent in fueling the digital economy. He noted that India had been a leading source of technology talents for many years and asserted that Nigeria is poised to follow suit.
“The current development in the tech startup space is being driven by less than 10,000 technical talents. Talent is the prerequisite for our digital economy. When we train people, they can build, and we can export,” Minister Tijani emphasized.
Furthermore, Minister Tijani highlighted the government’s focus on research and development, particularly in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). He disclosed the launch of a research-funding scheme within the first three months of his tenure, which has already supported 45 AI projects.
“Funding for Artificial Intelligence projects is crucial as AI is a technology that is rapidly advancing. If the government is not prepared, questions will arise,” Minister Tijani warned.
