The Kano State Information Technology Development Agency (KASITDA) will partner with KALM Community Initiative (KCI), an NGO, to empower 1.5 million youths with digital literacy and skills to reduce unemployment and boost economic productivity.
Bashir-Abdu Muzakkari, Director-General of KASITDA, disclosed this in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of a ‘Youth Impact Forum’ organised by KALM Community Initiative in Zaria.
Mr Muzakkari said the Kano State Digital Economic Policy and Digital Transformation Agenda targets 1.5 million youths to become digitally literate between 2025 and 2027.
“These cohorts will become digitally literate at the basic, intermediate, and expert levels,” he said, adding that of the 1.5 million target, 150,000 youths were engaged as a pilot scheme of the initiative.
“Recently, 1,150 youths graduated from the Kano State Entrepreneurship Institute and the Kano State Institute for Information Technology, Kura,” the director-general added.
He explained that the state government would replicate the KCI interface programme in tertiary institutions across the state.
Mr Muzakkari further said KASITDA would partner with KCI to replicate the Youth Impact Forum and cascade the initiative down to grassroots communities in Kano.
He added that KASITDA was harnessing ideas from across the state under a hackathon programme codenamed HEAT—an acronym for Health, Education, Agriculture, and Transportation.
According to him, the hackathon was initiated by KASITDA to prepare for a transition from traditional governance to e-governance.
“The HEAT programme will provide job opportunities for youths in the state. Once they offer a solution to challenges in these key sectors, the government will fund it.
“If it is a start-up, KASITDA will fund and accelerate it into a full-blown company. So far, we have received over 200 applications,” he said.
Aisha Muhammad, founder of KALM Community Initiative, said KCI was established on the belief that while challenges exist everywhere, opportunities are not evenly distributed.
She said the mission of the initiative is to open doors for youths, especially in technology, by providing practical support to those ready to learn, build, and shape a better future.
“At KCI, we have seen the untapped potential in young people with dreams but no spark to ignite them. Today, we are here to provide those sparks.
“The forum provides an avenue for participants, especially students, to interface with content creators, digital trailblazers, blockchain experts, and developers to harness digital economic opportunities,” Ms Muhammad said.
She added that KCI would collaborate with state actors and relevant stakeholders to expand the initiative to other parts of the country in order to reduce unemployment among youths.
NAN