Cross section of dignitries with the Executive Governor of Bauchi State Governor (Senator) Bala Mohammed during the launching of the Digital Literacy and Skills framework for Bauchi State .
Bauchi State has taken a major step towards digital transformation with the launch of the Digital Literacy and Skills Framework (DL4ALL Bauchi Initiative), a collaborative programme between the state government and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). The initiative is designed to equip citizens with practical digital competencies, preparing them for opportunities in today’s global knowledge economy.
Governor Bala Mohammed, who formally unveiled the project, described digital literacy as a “basic right” and an indispensable tool for economic growth. He explained that the programme will not only empower young people and civil servants to thrive in a competitive global environment but also help tackle unemployment and poverty by fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Technology has redefined the way value is created across the world,” he said. “With the right skills, even a young person in Bauchi can create solutions and jobs that reach global markets. This programme is about producing not just digitally literate citizens, but experts who can drive innovation and diversify our economy.”
Representing NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Dr. Ayodeji Eniola commended Bauchi State for joining the national drive to deepen digital skills. He noted that the DL4ALL project is in line with NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0 as well as the National Digital Literacy Framework, which emphasises key digital competencies including content creation, collaboration, data literacy, safety, and problem-solving.
The DL4ALL Bauchi Initiative is structured around three focus areas:
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Informal Sector Training: equipping artisans, traders, and small-scale workers with basic digital tools. Through collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps, over 7,000 Digital Literacy Champions have already reached more than 267,000 Nigerians, with a national target of 30 million by 2027.
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Workforce Readiness: providing graduates, civil servants, and job seekers with productivity and employability skills, with NITDA targeting five million workers nationwide in partnership with Cisco and other stakeholders.
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Education Sector Integration: embedding digital literacy in schools, supported by a newly approved Basic Education Digital Skills Curriculum set to roll out from September 2025, along with the training of 3,600 teachers nationwide.
Highlighting Bauchi’s position as a growing centre of innovation in northern Nigeria, Inuwa stressed that the state’s youthful population gives it a unique advantage to lead in digital economic growth.
Echoing this vision, the Director General of the Bauchi State Bureau for ICT and Digital Economy, Malam Hayatudeen Babamaji, described the launch as a “historic leap” towards making Bauchi a secure, technology-driven hub that generates jobs, revenue, and global competitiveness.
The ceremony was attended by top government officials, industry leaders, development partners, and legislators, marking what stakeholders hailed as a transformative moment for Bauchi’s economic and digital future.
