Trillion dollar tech company – Microsoft to equip 5 million Nigerians
Microsoft, a well-known technology firm, announced that it was collaborating with the Nigerian government to train 5 million people in the country. This proposal is expected to be implemented shortly, as talks have been ongoing since January between Microsoft Corporation President Brad Smith and Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
This move by the trillion-dollar tech giant comes as no surprise given their commitment to playing growth roles in Nigeria’s economy. Microsoft assisted in the creation of approximately 1600 jobs in 2019 by collaborating with IT firm Tek Experts to establish a Customer Support Center in Lagos.
According to reports, the tech firm has listed three fields that will act as core pillars in laying solid groundwork for a digital economy in Nigeria. Connectivity, Skilling, and Digital development are three of them.
Coincidentally, this alliance is in line with the country’s sustainable plan towards economic growth. Through this, job opportunities and digital training for five million people, which includes youths and government workers will take place. This would, in turn, create over 27,000 new digital jobs in the next three years.
In line with this announcement, Microsoft explained that they were putting up measures to foster both online and offline training as well as ensure that there was the accessibility of the internet for persons in underserved areas. All six geopolitical zones of the country, are being targeted to be provided with high-speed internet infrastructure.
On this note, Mr. Smith said:
The primary aim is to provide access to digital skills to five million Nigerians within the next three years. Although, this isn’t something we can do on our own. We will train master trainers and, along with them, we will create thousands of new jobs.
In addition, the government will be offered opportunities to digitally reform skilling, schooling, and employment processes. Which will aid in correctly matching job seekers with the right employers. We hope to create over 27,000 new digital jobs in the next three years as a result of this.
Together, we have a tremendous opportunity to bring technology to use, create jobs, nurture the Nigerian technology community, and use technology to retain the best of the past while propelling us into the future.
The Airband team of Microsoft will collaborate closely with local partners to improve broadband connectivity in these areas while also helping in the creation and deployment of hyper-scale cloud networks. He added.
Another catching insight to this initiative is the move towards preserving Nigeria’s Heritage. Microsoft will through this collaboration, install Artificial Intelligence tools that would help protect Nigeria’s cultural treasures for future generations.
They plan to also partner with the National Institute of Cultural Orientation to set up measures that will help sustain Nigeria’s indigenous languages: Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.
“This has to be one of my favourite programs that we pursue around the world because it uses the most sophisticated technologies of the twenty-first century to nurture and keep alive the civilization that has been so vital for humanity for centuries.” – Smith Said
This collaboration has however been well received by the Nigerian presidency as Microsoft already has a track record of putting technology towards the positive public good.
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