Nigeria Risks Losing $11bn Annually Over Digital Skills Gap, Experts Warn

Nigeria could forfeit an estimated $11 billion annually in potential economic growth due to a widening digital skills gap, according to Mr. Shola Oshilaja, Chairman of the Sector Skills Council for ICT. Represented by Mr. Chukwuemeka Okafor at the 21st anniversary of the Digital Bridge Institute in Abuja, Oshilaja stressed the urgent need to equip the workforce with relevant digital skills. He cited data from the World Economic Forum predicting that by 2027, rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence could displace 85 million jobs while creating 97 million new ones globally.

To mitigate this looming economic threat, Oshilaja called for sweeping educational and policy reforms. He emphasized integrating digital disciplines such as coding, cybersecurity, digital marketing, and AI into secondary school curricula. Additionally, he advocated for mandatory internships and apprenticeships to provide practical experience, and urged the establishment of a National ICT Skills Framework aligned with international standards.

He further recommended that government agencies align their policies to support digital skills development and incentivize private-sector investments in digital training. According to him, such measures would prepare Nigeria’s workforce for the evolving demands of a tech-driven global economy and prevent long-term economic losses.

In a related development, the President of the Digital Bridge Institute, Dr. David Daser, announced that the Federal Government plans to train five million workers in Artificial Intelligence over the next three years. Supported by President Bola Tinubu and key stakeholders in the ICT sector, the initiative aims to bridge the digital divide across both public and private sectors. Daser highlighted this year’s theme, “Preparing Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow’s Market,” as timely and relevant.

Daser also shared recent successes of the DBI, including new partnerships, the launch of training programs, and the commissioning of a new Information Access Centre. He acknowledged previous challenges faced by the institute, such as financial constraints and infrastructural decay, but expressed confidence in its ongoing recovery and future contributions to national digital transformation.

Source: Punch