UK to Train 1 Million Nigerians in Digital Skills

The United Kingdom Digital Development Strategy (DDS) seeks to provide digital skills training to over one million Nigerians within the next two to three years. 

The announcement was made during a workshop held at the Lagos residence of the UK Deputy High Commissioner. 

Highlighting that Nigeria is a primary market for the UK, representatives from the UK High Commission emphasized their 80-year history in the country and desire to share technologies that contribute to Europe's strong digital standing.  

"Nigeria and the UK enjoyed a trade relationship worth seven billion pounds last year alone, highlighting the country's importance to our development goals," the High Commission stated.

Idongesit Udoh, the UK's Digital Access Programme Adviser & Country Lead, explained how the DDS white paper would be applied to Nigeria. 

“The UK’s Digital Development Strategy is a deliverable of the UK’s White Paper on International Development, and the strategy is the UK’s overarching plan on digital development. However, the Digital Access Programme, DAP is the established programme that demonstrates UK’s integrated approach to digital development, now incapsulated in the new UK’s Digital Development Strategy.

“In Nigeria, the DAP will continue to deliver the interconnected objectives of the DDS and through its key priority areas, including four interconnected objectives; Digital Transformation which catalyses the economy, government, and society through digital technologies. 

"Digital Inclusion which ensures that no-one is left behind in a digital world; Digital Responsibility which enables a safe, secure, and resilient digital environment and Digital Sustainability which harnesses digital technologies in support of our climate change and environmental aims.

“The DDS will deliver on these four top priorities, through a combination of policy and programming work, including Last-mile Connectivity, dealing with basic connectivity in remote, low-income areas to ensure that the most marginalised can benefit from digital technologies.

“We will also dwell on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)for society-wide digital services, such as e-government and national payment systems, to enable digital transformation of both government and the private sector.

“Another area is the Artificial intelligence, which ensures rapid evolution of AI presents both opportunities and risks, eliminating the risks which can see some countries left behind due to their weaker digital foundations.

“We will also push to eliminate the gender digital divide which limits women and girls’ ability to benefit from digital development,” Udoh said. 

The Digital Development Strategy was launched in March 2024 and underscores the UK's commitment to partnering with Nigeria on digital initiatives for the next seven years.