The United States Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr. Will Stevens, on Thursday restated the commitment of the U.S. government to supporting programmes that will drive Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Stevens, who made this remark in his keynote remarks at the official opening of Digital Expert Academy on the theme ‘Technology as an Enabler and Tool for Empowerment’ in Lagos, said that the U.S government would continue to support programmes that provide youth with quality technological learning opportunities.
He explained that President Biden administration’s U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa was initiated to drive digital transformation and foster a digital ecosystem built on open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet and information and communication technology.
The Consul General described the Digital Expert Academy, which was established by 21st Century Technologies, as desirable for Nigeria’s sustainable development.
The Envoy said: “This initiative is investing in some of Nigeria’s richest resources – its young people. “We hope that by developing local talent in tech fields, we help accelerate medium and long-term growth in Nigeria’s and indeed Africa’s digital economy.”
Stevens further pointed out that the U.S. Mission supported Nigeria’s emerging technological sector and would continue to encourage the creation of the enabling environment required to make the sector productive to assure a more prosperous future for all its citizens.
Speaking at the forum, Chairman/CEO of 21st Century Technologies Group, Mr. Wale Ajisebutu, said that the Digital Expert Academy would help bridge the gap between youth and employers by connecting young people with the changing needs of the organized private sector (OPS) and build the skills needed to succeed in the digital economy.
He explained that the Academy would collaborate with leading American technology companies, including Microsoft and Oracle to provide trainees with world-class learning opportunities.
According to him, the Academy seeks to create opportunities to train and improve young Nigerians’ skills in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, machine learning, cloud services, data science, and data centre management, among other tech fields.
