NITDA Recommends NELFUND to Include Digital Skills for Students

The National Information Development Agency (NITDA) has recommended that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) include short digital skill courses for students.

This was put forward by NITDA’s Director-General, Mr Kashifu Inuwa, during a visit from the NELFUND team, headed by Executive Secretary Mr Akintunde Sawyer, to their office in Abuja.

NELFUND which is saddled with the responsibility for managing the student loan program, aimed to engage with NITDA for insights and to showcase a demonstration of its portal for feedback.

Inuwa emphasized the importance of digital literacy, pointing out that it equips students to navigate the evolving digital landscape, increasingly prioritizing practical skills over traditional academic credentials.

He advocated for digital training to enhance citizens’ capabilities with globally sought-after skills, potentially making Nigeria a significant contributor to the global talent pool.

He also highlighted the necessity of partnership among educational institutions, businesses, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and the government, underlining that these entities must unite to cultivate a thriving ecosystem.

“Higher institutions of learning produce the human capital. So, they need to be worked with closely because they need to understand the skills in demand.

“Corporate organisations absorb the human capital by employing them or buying products from entrepreneurs.

“Entrepreneurs can be students, dropouts, or anybody who has an idea that meets a need.

“Any gap between the institution and corporate organisations will make it difficult to place graduates on jobs.

“This is because most of our graduates cannot fit into the private sector unless by undergo these short courses,’’ the Director-general said.

He also added that venture capitalists should be encouraged to invest, as Nigeria’s technology ecosystem attracts more than 30% of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

According to him, 70% of that investment comes from the United States.

He added that the agency would set up seed funding for startups that could encourage indigenous venture capitalists.

He recalled that the agency was working with the Federal Ministry of Education to review the curriculum of tertiary institutions to meet the demands of the ecosystem.

The NITDA boss commended the work put into the development of the NELFUND portal, suggesting that it should be made mobile-friendly for easy accessibility.

Inuwa assured NELFUND of the agency’s commitment by giving it the necessary support to achieve its mandate.

Earlier, Sawyer said the initiative was intended to connect many Nigerians to the fund to obtain tertiary education and refund payment after their one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme.

He said, “Our mission is to strive to revolutionize higher education accessibility in Nigeria by providing interest-free loans to eligible students.

“We want to help as many people as possible get to the next level as it will benefit individuals, institutions, and the nation at large.”