sandra Opara, Author at Imdeeg

SkillupImo: Imo State’s ambitious venture into silicon valley

Leave a Comment / Skillup Imo / sandra Opara

“The beauty of the digital economy is “that you could be working for a company in America, Asia or Europe from the comfort of your home. Skilluplmo is one of those initiatives that target youths to prepare them for the digital economy space, which has contributed to over 18 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product(GDP)”. The above is how Prof. Mohammed Ajiya, the President/Chief Executive Officer of Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Abuja, an international centre for Information and Communications Technology(ICT) studies, described what is presently cooking in Imo, in a chat with The Guardian. DBI is the training arm of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). India, today, exports tech talents to many advanced countries, including the United States (U.S.). The Asian country did not just happen in the silicon valley; it took some ambitious effort. Imo is treading that path that India trod years back.The vehicle is Skilluplmo, the governor’s initiativethrough the Ministry ofDigital Economy and E-Government Government he created last year. A chat with thecommissioner in charge of the ministry, Dr.Chimezie Amadi, revealed a tall ambition, which seemsunrealistic in thisenvironment. But a little research across the state and beyond pans the search light to the prospects of this initiative, as techpreneurs and experts affirm itspotential to take the state into the silicon valley by nurturing tech talents the state can export to Japan, U.S.and other countries of the world. Already, Imo citizens at home and in the diaspora have started buying into the project.Cash and high-end computers have beendonated, and employment opportunities promised.Those that have bought into the initiative include the Chairman of ZinoxGroup,Leo Stan Ekeh, and Chairman of Turkey based Inno & Bisco Oil and Gas Limited,Innocent Unoha.Astute businessmen like Ekeh dread volatileenvironments. Though Imo plays in the league of states plagued by insecurity, the Zinox boss still bought into the project.On why he took such a risk, Ekeh told The Guardian that Imo needs employment and that theproject would make lmoyouths, even graduates,employable. “I will aways support in anyway i can, any initiative that will make lmo great, no matter the government in power,” he added. Read moreMinistry floats Skillupimo challenge The fever of this project seems to be catching almost every segment of the Eastern Heartland and beyond, even the academia. The Director, University Computer Centre, Federal University ofTechnology, Owerri(FUTO), Prof.Damian Dike, described it as a rich and interesting project.“Skilluplmo is a very rich and interesting programme that has great potential of technologicallyrevolutionalising our state.It will build up self-employable skills of our youths to reduce their involvement in juvenile crimes and make the state the technology hub of Nigeria, if well-funded as contained in the original plan. “It is in view of the afore mentioned noble goals that the innovative Vice Chancellor of FUTO,Prof. (Mrs.)Nnenna Oti, approved the partnership of FUTO with Imo government in this programme, so that over 800 FUTO students and indigenes of our host communities can join without much distance- associated costs,” he told The Guardian. Chidi Duru, an Owerri-based techpreneur,said the programme, underwhich 5,000 lmo youths areundergoing training, has been very impactful.The youths, according to him, are being trained on basic digital skills like computer appreciation, phone repair, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)installation and cartracking.On intermediate digitalskills, the youths are trained in digital marketing, graphics, video and photoediting. They are also trained in advanced digital skills such as cybersecurity, UI/UX, mobile app development, front-end development, back-end development, blockchain technology, data analysis and projectmanagement. The commissloner, who was an assistant Director at NCC, said the initiative is part of the move to align Imo with the Federal Government’s objective of diversifying the economy as encapsulated in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strat-egy (NDEPS) 2020-2030. He added:”Realising that digital technology drives innovation and creates job opportunities, leading to economic prosperity, there is need to create a Ministry that will focus on the development of lmo digital economy and create policies and programmes that will position the stateas a key player in the expanding global digital economy valued at $11.5trillion, which havewitnessed two-fold growth in 15 years and projected to account for a quarter of the global economy in the next 10years , according to the 2016 Report by Oxford Economy. “Imo government also realised the need toharness ICT potential to provide new solutions to developmental challenges, foster economic growth ,access information and knowledge, eradicate poverty and socialinclusion in the state.”Commending the lmo Governor for creating the first Ministry of Digital Economy in any Nigerian State, Prof.Ajiya hopes that other states will copy Imo and harness the potential in the digital economy space.According to him,the Digital Economycontributes more than crude oil to the GDP, as it creates unicorns.His words:”So,the future is Digital Economy. This is where the world is going.In Nigeria ,we should not be left behind.“You may have known unicorns, those companies valued at over S1 billion without being listed on the stock market. We have about eight in Africa and five or six of them are from Nigeria.So, Uzodimma istargeting Imo youths to become future billionaires.This means the future is being brought closer in Imo.”For him, Skilluplmo is an excellent initiative, which will see lmo indigenes.becoming masters of the fourth industrialrevolution.

SkillupImo: Imo State’s ambitious venture into silicon valley Read More »

SkillUpImo: Sure, we are not in Imo to joke

When Governor Hope Uzodimma of ImoState, through his Chief Press Secretary(CPS) and Special Adviser (Media),Oguwike Nwachuku, started the now popular “we are not in Imo to joke” refrain, many dismissed it as one of those political statements from the ruling class. Three years down the line, the mantra has started resonating, to the extent of becoming a word on the marble, as the Shared Prosperity Administration in the Eastern Heartland takes on ambitious projects. One of those projects stood out: the SkillUplmoProject under the Ministry of Digital Economyand E-Government.In 2022, when Uzodimma mooted this project, he started shopping for a capable hand to realise it. His search landed him at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), where he poached a brilliant young man, Dr. ChimezieAmadi, on whose care he put the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government.Dr. Amadi, with over 20 years experience in telecommunications regulation, worked in several departments and served in various management committees at the NCC,chief of which is the National Broadband Committee,where he played a keyrole in the development of the Open Access Model for ubiquitous broadband deployment in Nigeria,which laid the foundation for the country’s bourgeoning digital economy. Coupled with his impressive educational attainment and experience, Amadi attended several training programmes in the prestigious United States Telecommunications Institute (USTTI) in Washington DC on ‘5G: The Path to Next Generation’;’Digital Transformation: Unlocking the Potential of IoT;’Enabling the Pull Value of Wireless Technology: Game Changing Technology For the Digital Age’and’Ethics Intelligence’among others. While in NCC, he was renowned for his initiatives that birthed a new paradigm in acado-industrial relations and the commission’s strategic institutional interventions in Nigeria’ tech startup ecosystem.According to the technocrat-turned-commissioner, the broader objectives of the project are to train 300,000 Imolites, over the next three years(100,000 each year), connect 60 per cent of the graduands to high-paying jobs, as well as empower 40 per cent to be bosses, becoming tech entrepreneurs and launching their own companies,among others. Read moreUZODINMA TO EMPOWER 300,000 YOUTHSHe noted that with the over-arching target of upskilling, reskilling and training of Imo youths to acquire the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) or Industry 4.0- skill-set needed to align with the digital age, the initiative is in line with the Imo Digital Economy Agenda (IDEA), mapped to last from 2022 to 2026, to make the state the digital skills hub of Africa, thereby curbing unemployment. The training of the first batch of 100,000 youțhs is in progress. Each batch is divided into cohorts. As Cohort 1 graduated 5,000 techpreneurs in February 2023, plans for Cohort 2 started in earnest, almost immediately.Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof.Isa Pantami, was in Owerri as Special Guest of Honour at the graduation of 5,000 youths from Cohort 1. At the event, the minister described the programme as a shift from creating job employees to producing job creators. He encouraged Ndi Imo to leverage the digital revolution to build a knowledge-based economy like the United States of America, China and Japan,whose economies are driven more by digital innovation and economy than natural resources. Commending the governor, who he said deserves to be called “The Digital Governor”, Pantami challenged Imo youths to invest in critical thinking and take advantage of the programme for the emergence of another Mark Zuckerberg from the state. Read moreFuture assured for Imo youths The scheme is poised to address one of the critical challenges with respect to youth unemployment, which the country is facing, as Imo has positioned itself to join the Federal Government to tackle unemployment through the digltal skill acquisition scheme. It is gratifying to the state government that the graduands who came in with little or no experience in digital technology have been equipped with skills in Digital Marketing, Web and App Development, Content Creation, Basic Data Analytics, Graphics Design, Phone and other digital devices repairs, programming, cyber security,among others and they are set to utilise the skills forvpersonal economic development and that of the society. Already partnering Zinox Group, the state plans to partner Cisco, Huawel, Microsoft and other techcompanies, as well as the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) for certification and value optimisation, as the programme will cover various shades of digitalskills. Unlike in Cohort 1, Pre-Admission Assessment was conducted for Cohort 2 to sieve the huge size of prospective trainees and ensure that only committed learners are admitted. Read moreThe impact of Cohort 2 SkillUpImo training for 15,000 Imo youths Amadi said: “A lot was learnt in the course of managing Cohort 1, so introduction of Pre-Admission Assessment is one of the ways the government intends to improve the processes to meet the programme’s objective and achieveresults.” Going by the extent of work done with respect to process re-engineering, Cohort 2 promises an enhanced learning experience for both learners and instructors. Governor Uzodimma, the commissioner said, places high premium on the project due to its potential of achieving the triple objectives of positioning the state as the digital skills hub ofAfrica, tackling youth unemployment, as well as diversifying and building the state’s digital economy. For Cohort 2, admission of successful applicants started on March 29, while orientation for new intakes held on March31.Four additional learning centres have been established to complement the existing centres at the Ministry of Digital Economyand E-Government’s office, Imo State University (IMSU) and Alvan lkoku College of Education to enhance access to digitalskills learning for youths across the state.The additional centres include Federal Polytechnic,Nekede, Imo Polytechnic, Omuma, University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo, and K.O.Mbadiwe University,Ideato. For Uzodimma, more of such engaging programmes will help to eradicate banditry and other forms of insecurity in the state, as more youths will be gainfully engaged. Verily, the governor and his team are not in lmo to joke; they are for serious business of governance.

SkillUpImo: Sure, we are not in Imo to joke Read More »

The impact of Cohort 2 SkillUpImo training for 15,000 Imo youths

Leave a Comment / Imo Sate, Skillup Imo / sandra Opara

The Imo State Governor, Sen.Hope Uzodimma has flagged- off the second edition of the SKILLUPImo digital training programme, Cohort 2 for 15,000 Imo youths, reiterating his administration’s irrevocable commitment to laying a solid foundation for youths to deploy their acquired digital skills anywhere they go and excel accordingly. Launching the programme at Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri on Thursday, May 4, 2023, the Governor emphasized that the welfare of youths is central to the prosperity agenda of his government, as they represent the present and future generation of Imo State. He disclosed that the success recorded with the first edition, Cohort 1, had come to the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari, the multinational national companies such as Coca Cola and others. For example, he said Imo State has attracted a grant of a million dollars ($1m) from CocaCola as a result of the investment in digital economy and that the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is poised to support the programme and ensure graduation and proper equipping of the trainees. Read moreMinistry floats Skillupimo challenge Governor Uzodimma recalled that 5000 youths were trained and graduated in Cohort 1, empowered with laptops and other start-up kits based on their chosen areas of specialization. He noted that the step to achieving the target of graduating100,000 youths in digital skills can only be realised with the encouragement of participants. The Governor said: “Today we are flagging off 15,000 young men and women with plans at top gear to ensure that we shall achieve before the end of this year, 100,000milestone within our implementation programme. To this end,1 have directed the Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government to explore necessary collaborations considered expedient to ensure increased access to SKILL-UPImo programme for all Imo State residents and citizens.”On graduation, not only will we give you start up kits but also Professional Certificates” “Learn the Course, acquire the knowledge and then leave the rest to my government,” he charged them, saying “this will enable you contribute to the economic development of Nigeria and the world at large.” “The programme will help to engender peace because by the time the 100,000 youths are removed from the unemployment market, Imo State will be safe, Nigeria will be safe and the economy will improve,” he added.The Governor said the Skill-Up Programme has nothing to do with political party, zone or where one comes from hence he appealed to the youths to convince their parents to allow them acquire the necessary skills for their future. Read moreSoon, Imo will be Africa’s Digital Hub – Dr Chimezie AmadiHe commended the efforts of the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government and the Resource Persons for their commitment to the success of the programme and for a job welldone. Earlier, the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr.Chimezie Amadi said the objective of the training programme is to train 300,000 youths in the space of three years, graduating 100,000 each year. He revealed that apart from the five learning centres in use, five more have been added to increase access to the training programme as directed by Governor Uzodimma and assured that “the mandate to train 100,000 each year will be realised by his Ministry.” He listed the extra centres to include Imo State Polytechnic Omuma, K,O Mbadiwe University, Ogboko, College of Health Sciences, Amaigbo, Claretian University Nekede, and University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo. Read morePRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT: IMO DIGITAL ECONOMY INITIATIVE RECEIVES BOOST.Some of the beneficiaries of Cohort 1 who graduated last month shared their experiences and gains from the training. Miss Chioma Onuoha, Mr.Cletus Munachimso, and Mr.Chuks Godwin, individually thanked Governor Uzodimma for the life changing experience they got from the training programme. They said the training had positioned them to be earning money from their skills.

The impact of Cohort 2 SkillUpImo training for 15,000 Imo youths Read More »

UZODINMA TO EMPOWER 300,000 YOUTHS

Leave a Comment / Skillup Imo, Senator Hope Uzodinma / sandra Opara

Imo State is positioning to become a leading digital hub in Nigeria as the private sector declares support to the state government on its SkillUpImoProject. SkillUpImo is the youth’s digital skills empowerment programme implemented under the administration of the state governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to transform Imo citizens into global citizens with relevant digital skills in the 21st Century. Now, the project is attracting huge private sector participation as two prominent tech- entrepreneurs from the state, Chairman Zinox Technologies, Mr Leo Stan Ekeh, and President and Chief Executive Officer of Inno & Bisco Groups, Mr Innocent Chibuzor Unoha, have pledged massive support to the State Government’s vision. While Eke made a cash donation of N12.5 million to the State’s Ministry of Digital Economy and E-government, the ministry implementing the SkillUpImo Project, Unoha donated 10 units of high-end modern laptops to the Ministry also in support of the initiative. Read moreMinistry floats Skillupimo challenge In addition, Ekeh also announced job opportunities for about 200 graduate trainees of the SkillupImo project with specialisation in phone repairs, digital marketing, and so on. Ekeh’s Zinox Technologies is one of Africa’s most integrated information and communication Technology (ICT) company, first Nigerian internationally certified ICT firm was also rated as a leading ICT firm in Africa as a whole.Ekeh is a Forbes-rated billionaire IT guru, Unoha, is an entrepreneur of note, tech enthusiast and philanthropist, who is based in Istanbul, Turkey. Meanwhile, the Commissioner, Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government in Imo State, Dr Chimezie Amadi, said the gestures were a welcome development and a clear testament of the general appeal that the SkillUpImo Project has generated across demographics since launched in December 2022.While thanking the donors, he said the gestures were symptomatic of the donor’s philanthropic and corporate social responsibility to the efforts of the Executive Governor of Imo State. Amadi, on the other hand, called on corporate bodies, illustrious sons and daughters of Imo State and well-meaning Nigerians to come forward and support this noble project of rescuing the future generation and equipping them with relevant digital skills.

UZODINMA TO EMPOWER 300,000 YOUTHS Read More »

Soon, Imo will be Africa’s Digital Hub – Dr Chimezie Amadi

Leave a Comment / Dr Chimezie Amadi, Skillup Imo / sandra Opara

Pioneer Commissioner for Digital Economy and e-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi revealed in this interview with National News blast that Imo State will soon become Africa’s digital hub thanks to plans being activated by the newly created ministry, the first in Nigeria Excerpts. Q: May we know you, Sir? A: I am Dr. Chimezie Amadi, the Imo State Commissioner for Digital Economy and e-Government.Q: Can you shed some light on where we are right now? A:Yes. Here,we have a learning Centre embedded in the Ministry of Digital Economy and e-Government head office located on Egbu Road,Owerri. Read moreMinistry floats Skillupimo challenge Q: What exactly, do you do here? A: First of all, it is important to note that this Ministry is the first of its kind in Nigeria. It was created by the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma to promote digital economy to place Imo as the leading digital economy state in Nigeria. So, in the Ministry, we have developed a plan called IDEA 2022-2026. It stands for Imo Digital Economy Agenda 20222-2026. It is a five-year plan with critical pillars designed to ensure of a robust digital economy in Imo State. The first pillar is Digital Literacy and Skills. The second pillar is the Solid Infrastructure Pillar. The third is Soft Infrastructure Pillar. The fourth is Advocacy Pillar. The fifth is the Partnership and CollaborationPillar. These pillars, when developed, the digital economy of Imo State will be standing on them. Q: What is digital economy? Read morePRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT: IMO DIGITAL ECONOMY INITIATIVE RECEIVES BOOST.A: Digital economy is what we call the internet economy or the web-based economy. Globally today, the world is transitioning from analogue economy or traditional economy to digital economy. What this means is that government activities and services will leverage digital economy to provide quality and efficient services through the people and you will see most activities of government like land administration, healthcare delivery, and education upgraded via the deployment of digital technology beyond what we are experiencing today. It is easier for people to access land administration services. We are going to digitize that sector. In the transportation sector, we shall develop an e-transport system that will help people access transportation services. You don’t need to go to the motor park to buy tickets to travel from Owerri to Abuja. Q: Do you have facilities to sustain this project? A: Of course. That is why I talked about the solid infrastructure. The first infrastructure is literacy and skills as the first pillar. But when you talk about the solid infrastructure, it focuses on building robust network and access infrastructure to support our digital transformation goal. That requires a fibre-optic networks, tools like computers, laptops, accessible, and affordable internet being provided so that the civil service will make sure that the system there is computerised and the processes are digitised, development of application soft wares to support the services and training of the work force in the civil service to become digital compliant. That will help them to use those infrastructures provided for them. Read moreGov. Uzodimma Unveils Imo Digital Economy Agenda (IDEA) 2022-2026Critical to your question is the development of broadband infrastructure in Imo State. Globally, the broadband infrastructure is in very scarce supply. It is not just in Africa but the whole world. Everybody in running # raee io increase his broadband stock. So, what we have as plan which we call solid infrastructure pillar is to ensure that that there is alibre network that is developed to connect all the critical areas and critical sectors in Imo State, When that is done, you have laid a solid foundation for digital transformation in Imo State. Q: How long does the training last? A: This training is a three-year program. The objective is to make lmo the digital skills hub of Africa. In the next three years, Imo State is planning to train three hundred thousand youths and equip them with what we call fourth industrial revolution skill sets. For the trainees you have seen, there are three categories of programs. You have the basic for beginners which lasts for a maximum of five weeks. We have the intermediate program which lasts for a maximum of eight months. Then we have the advanced program which lasts for three months. Q:So,the trainees cannot gain appreciable knowledge till they have spent three years here? A:When you say how long does this program last, for the entire program, it is three years. Most of them are at the basic level. Their program will end by the last weck of January. We will graduate those who have learnt and passed the tests we are going to set for them. So, precisely to your question, if it is a graduate trainee, what you have now will last for a maximum of four to six months. Someone who is doing cyber security or robotics, identification and simulation will spend more time. Q:How many of such centres do you have in Imo State? A:There are five at the moment namely, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Alvan IkokuFederal College of Education, Imo State University and here. We are also going to use the ICT Centres at the 27 Local Government Areas of the state and town halls of communities. Corporate bodies like ZinoxTecnologies have started partnering with us. The chairman of Zinox, Chief .Leo Stan Ekeh came here and saw what we are doing and made a cash donation to support this vision and promised to do more because he was impressed.Very soon, any digital service needed anywhere in Africa will be rendered from Imo State as Africa’s digital hub and people will be earning dollars and pounds sterling with their skills.

Soon, Imo will be Africa’s Digital Hub – Dr Chimezie Amadi Read More »

Author name: sandra Opara

SkillupImo: Imo State’s ambitious venture into silicon valley

SkillUpImo: Sure, we are not in Imo to joke

The impact of Cohort 2 SkillUpImo training for 15,000 Imo youths

UZODINMA TO EMPOWER 300,000 YOUTHS

Soon, Imo will be Africa’s Digital Hub – Dr Chimezie Amadi

QuickLinks

Subscribe Now