Top ICT Media professionals and pioneers in Nigeria have launched a Foundation known as Cloud Network Foundation, CNF, to drive advocacy for skills acquisition and capacity building among youths.
The professionals are also pushing for a policy that encourages local content in ICT development in Nigeria.
The Foundation is worried that not much has been done in Nigeria to boost local content development and the creation of the requisite skills and enablement for the teeming youths to excel in the ICT ecosystem.
The Chairman of the Foundation, Mr Abimbola Tooki, stated this at their inaugural meeting, saying “Nigeria has so many untapped potentials that, when harnessed by the provision of the right policies and strategies, could replicate another Silicon Valley in California, the United States to Bangalore in India.”
“We can move from a consuming nation to a producing one in a few years in the ICT ecosystem, and over 20 million of our youths can be lifted out of poverty every year if they have the right information, guidance, enabling environment and skills at their disposal if we take the right steps”, Tooki said.
He said if the government prioritised integrating technology (ICT) and infrastructure into public service delivery to promote growth-oriented policies, it would be easier for all tiers of government to collaborate to pull Nigerians out of poverty.
The Cloud Network Foundation promise to provide an influential voice for stakeholders in the media, business community and government on the benefits of ICT in economic growth and national development.
It will also promote multidisciplinary collaboration and interdisciplinary initiatives on ICT to foster the creation, usage and sharing of knowledge in the fields of ICT for national development.
Also speaking at the body’s inauguration, the Vice Chairman, Mr Don Aganbi said “the Media stakeholders should look forward to the Foundation’s resolve to ensure a more active ICT industry in Nigeria.”
Aganbi said the body held elections that produced other key officers including the award-winning and pioneering ICT journalists in Nigeria.
He promised that the foundation would ensure that all operators wake up to their responsibilities and deliver quality services to Nigerians while fostering a friendly environment for all.
The CNF stated that it would work with institutions at all levels in advancing the usage and adoption of ICT in learning, and provide an effective voice for stakeholders in the media, business community and government on the benefits of ICT in economic growth and national development.
It will also promote research in diverse segments of ICT, develop professionals in ICT Journalism, and promote multidisciplinary collaboration as well as interdisciplinary initiatives on ICT, to foster the creation, usage and sharing of knowledge in the fields of ICT for national development.
Cloud Network Foundation has an active online presence, with a dedicated website (cloudnetwork.ng), Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Source: Voice of Nigeria