Abuja:Nigeria requires stronger government investment in technology education, according to an Artificial Intelligence System Builder and Automation Specialist, Ms. Mary Mmoh.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Ms. Mmoh highlighted the nation’s progress in building digital skills and expanding access to technology since gaining independence 66 years ago. She referenced the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative as a significant achievement, which has provided thousands of Nigerians with training in software development, artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, and cloud computing.
Ms. Mmoh shared her personal experience of benefiting from government-supported initiatives, such as accessing subsidized courses on Coursera, emphasizing the transformative impact of digital learning. She stressed the importance of government investment in people to drive real change.
She also praised the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for promoting digital literacy and technology adoption nationwide. While acknowledging the global reach of Nigerian-founded companies like Flutterwave, Paystack, and Calendly, she noted that many had to expand abroad to find necessary infrastructure and capital. She asserted that creating such conditions within Nigeria would allow more tech companies to thrive locally.
Ms. Mmoh observed young Nigerians creatively building projects with limited resources, underscoring the country’s untapped potential. She advocated for stronger government support to enhance the technology ecosystem and emphasized technology education from an early age as a critical need.
She concluded that Nigeria has the talent and population to lead globally in technology and urged for technology and education to become national priorities, envisioning technology as the next domain for Nigeria to establish a global presence, akin to its achievements in music, fashion, and sports.