Borno Sets Up 22 Digital Literacy Centres

Borno State government has established 22 digital literacy centres in local government areas for digital transformation and empowerment of youths on skills acquisition.

The executive secretary of the Borno State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (BICTDA), Engr Kabir Wanori disclosed this yesterday in Maiduguri.

He said, out of the 22 digital literacy centres across the State, 14 have been fully equipped while eight were nearing completion with provision of free access to 100-unit computers, internet facilities and structured training programmes, targeting underserved communities in both urban and rural areas as well as local government staff.

“The Government of Borno State under the able and dynamic leadership Prof Babagana Umara Zulum has established 22 Digital Literacy Centres across the state through this baby agency, with 14 fully equipped and 8 nearing completion. These centres provide free access to 100 unit computers, internet facilities, and structured training programmes, targeting underserved communities in both urban and rural areas, as well as local government staff.

“Nearly 4,000 people have benefited from our digital skills programmes, including 2,000 from in-person training and over 150 people from online courses through partnerships with global tech leaders.

“Today, we celebrate the remarkable progress we’ve made in just one year. Our achievements are a testament to the governor’s vision and commitment to leveraging technology to drive economic growth, improve governance and enhance the quality of life for our citizens and this vision perfectly aligns with his 25-year strategic plan and 10-pack agenda focused on human capital development through digital transformation,” Wanori said.

He said in order to leverage collective expertise, build trust and promote sustainable development, the Borno State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency partnered with Google via Midthe Gap Foundation, Cisco via IOM, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to integrate globally recognised digital literacy curricula into the agency’s training programmes.

“Our collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has enabled us to adopt the ‘Digital Literacy for All’ (DL4All) programme, ensuring inclusive access to foundational ICT skills for women, host communities and rural populations at large.

“The Borno State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency in the year under review has conducted statewide campaigns on cybersecurity and cybercrime to educate citizens on cyber threats, safe online practices and reporting mechanisms. This has drastically reduced vulnerability to scams and data breaches, fostering trust in digital literacy among the citizens, “ the executive secretary added.