The Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) has entered into a transformative partnership with a United States based SBTS Group LLC to equip Nigerian youths with the needed digital skills for global competitiveness.
The Head of Public Affairs, DBI, Akin Ogunlade, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the move is to create thousands of job opportunities within and outside Nigeria,
Ogunlade said that the partnership between the DBI and SBTS was essentially designed to address the nation’s digital divide, digital literacy deficit and drive Job creation
According to him, it is a milestone for Nigeria’s digital future.
He said that the collaboration would leverage SBTS group’s Intelligent Capacity Building Model (ICBM), and DBI’s reputation as Nigeria’s premier ICT capacity-building institute.
“It will provide training, infrastructure upgrades, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hubs across DBI campuses.
“These initiatives will empower millions of Nigerians with globally competitive hands-on skills and enhance the country’s participation in the global digital economy,” he said.
He quoted the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as saying that over 230 million jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030, thus creating nearly 650 million training opportunities.
“This summarises the importance of this initiative and the urgency required to bridging Africa’s digital skills gap.
“The partnership will focus on skill development and employment, which will involve training of thousands of Nigerians in advanced digital and technical skills; providing job placements locally and internationally for trained individuals.
“It will develop a robust pipeline of skilled professionals to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap,” Ogunlade said.
He said that it would also focus on infrastructure upgrades and resource centers, with the establishment of BPO hubs and tech resource centers in Lagos, Enugu, Kano, and other DBI campuses.
He said that the initiative would provide a campus-learning experience for the trainees.
Meanwhile, the President of DBI, Mr Daser David, said that the partnership would boost Nigeria’s role in the global outsourcing market by creating high-value job opportunities.
David said that the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, prioritising human capital development, job creation, and socio-economic transformation.
According to him, the efforts will definitely accelerate the renewed hope agenda.
He said the partnership would support the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative of the Ministry of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, to position Nigeria as a leading exporter of digital talent.
“Our partnership with SBTS aligns with our mission to foster digital skills and transform lives.
“By integrating Nigeria’s youth population into the global technological workforce, we are laying the foundation for a thriving digital economy.
“As Africa’s largest economy with a burgeoning youth population, Nigeria is positioned to take a leading role in this digital transformation of the continent.
“Africa’s digital skills gap is a barrier to growth. By collaborating with SBTS, we aim to close this gap, create jobs, and accelerate technology adoption, boosting productivity across sectors,” he said.
David said that many of the opportunities would require intermediate and advanced technical skills, beyond basic digital literacy.
He said that the DBI-SBTS collaboration would address these challenges by creating a sustainable framework for skill development.
“Renovation and upgrades have already commenced at DBI campuses, beginning with Enugu and Kano, with plans to extend nationwide.
“These improvements will create state-of-the-art facilities for delivering cutting-edge training programmes.
“The partnership will also implement the ICBM framework, enabling DBI to offer advanced digital skills training, support the establishment of BPO centers, and create an ecosystem for innovation and growth,” he said
He described the collaboration as a game-changer for Nigeria’s economy.
“By equipping job seekers with digital skills, the initiative enhances their employability and contributes to national development.
“The integration of digital talent into various sectors is expected to spur innovation, attract investments, and position Nigeria as a global hub for skilled digital professionals,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBTS Group, Evelyn Lewis, also emphasised the partnership’s urgency in launching Nigeria to the global digital space for the millions of Nigerian youths to take advantage.
