By Baban Khalid
Bauchi State Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has said that digital literacy is no longer a privilege but a fundamental right for every citizen.
The governor explained that one of the strategic periods of the digital transformation is to empower the youth and civil servants and transform them into a globally competitive workforce.
The governor stated this during a formal launching of the State Cybernations Programme, the Digital Literacy and Skills Framework, and the Bauchi State Data Protection Policy held at the Old Banquet Hall, Government House, Bauchi, yesterday.
The Governor stated that his administration is committed to transform Bauchi into a digitally inclusive, economically vibrant, and innovation-driven state. “We aim to harness technology not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for economic diversification, human capital development, and social transformation,” the governor added.
He emphasised, “We acknowledge that information technology is today, and in the foreseeable future, the fastest-growing industry and one with increasing capacity to absorb young people with skills. Its advantage is such that everyone can undertake training and acquire skills, be certified, and create a sustainable source of livelihood leveraging on its power.”
Under the Digital Literacy For All (DL4ALL) Bauchi Initiative, developed in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Governor Mohammed said the initiative will provide digital skills training to over 100,000 citizens by 2027 and advanced training to 2,000 youths in high-demand fields like software development, cloud computing, and data analytics, among others.
He added that DL4ALL will embed digital education in schools and workforce policies to create a digitally fluent population without leaving behind the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.
On the Cyber Nations Initiative, Bala said 500 young talents will be trained in various cybersecurity roles through the next few years and have them placed in various organisations within the country and around the globe to get the required experience and ultimately set-up self-sustaining businesses of their own.
“Under the arrangement, the trainees will receive payments, mainly in foreign currency, during the period of their placement. This groundbreaking initiative is the first of its kind in Nigeria and the second on the African continent,” he added.
The Cyber Nations Initiative is designed to equip young people with cutting-edge cybersecurity skills and certifications, protecting communities, businesses, and institutions from emerging digital threats and preparing the workforce for a secure and globally connected future.
The Bauchi State Data Protection Policy, developed with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), reinforces Governor Bala’s commitment to safeguarding digital rights and ensuring full compliance with the National Data Protection Act across all ministries, departments, and agencies.
The governor stated that his administration is particularly bold step in job creation, with the objective of productive jobs that need more than goods and services to consume but also to provide an antidote to poverty, neglect, and abandonment.
Governor Bala, who said that economic development and job creation has been at the core focus of his government, recalled that over the past six years, he invested massively in providing the needed infrastructure, open up the state economy, and connect the huge potentials the state have to the outside world, and to provide the required market.
Speaking earlier the Chief Operating Officer (COO) with the Canadian partnering non-governmental organization (NGO), Protexxa, a cybersecurity company, Mr. Rick Huijbregts, noted that the partnership could not have come at a better time than now when it is geared to unlock the potentials of the state population, especially the youth, and transform Bauchi into a cyber ecosystem where innovation, collaboration, and enterprises flourish.
“As of today, Bauchi, the state, has a population of about 7.5 million people, growing at a rate of about 3.3 percent annually. This is driven by a high fertility rate of six to two children per woman and notable young leaders aged 17 years.
“Accordingly, this has created a dynamic digital period generation. Additionally, the Punch newspaper reported in 2023 that around 3.3 million Bauchi residents were already online. At the current rate, the figure is projected to surpass 3.5 million by the end of this year, meaning nearly half of Bauchi people would soon be digitized.”
Mr. Rick explained that though this project is a national challenge under the leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed, young people in Bauchi are being empowered, not only locally, but to compete globally to earn foreign currency and attract more foreign direct investments into the state.
He concluded, “This happening does not only help individuals; it strengthens the entire economy through the forex foreign inflow, transforms local challenges into global competitors, and brings Bauchi closer to becoming a true cyber nation deeply rooted in its economy and confidently connected to the global market.”
Also speaking, a representative of the director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, in a message to the occasion, commended Governor Bala Mohammed and his team for taking this giant step towards ensuring that Bauchi state is not left behind in the ongoing global digital revolution.
Kashifu said, “We at NITDA are pleased to be part of this journey, as this forward-thinking initiative aligns with our mandate under the strategic roadmap and action plan of the agency.”
He also praised Bauchi for advancing Nigeria’s goal of achieving 70% digital literacy by 2027, describing it as a model for other states.
Protexxa’s Country Representative, Abi Hafsat Abubakar, revealed the programme’s connection to over 3.5 million global cybersecurity jobs, urging Bauchi’s youths to embrace the opportunity as innovators, not passive participants.
The Director General of the Bauchi State Bureau for ICT, Hayatudden Babama’aji, said the three initiatives form an integrated strategy to build a secure, inclusive, and globally competitive digital economy.
