by Ugochi Emmanuel
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) as reinstated the importance of collaboration to build new capacities needed to help meet the Sustainable Development Goals and Nigeria’s quest to maximize the benefits of the Digital Economy.
This was the assertion of the agency while speaking at FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 2020 National Robotics Championship Competition.
The Director General of NITDA Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, represented by the Director of e-Government Development and Regulation (eGDR) Dr Vincent Olatunji in his address said, “Building creative young minds will bring out the potentials embedded in the teeming youths, making them to have the basic Information Technology foundation at an early stage.
According to the DG, “Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is one of the fundamental pillars and the next oil of the nation that will playing a pivotal role towards the growth of the economy”.
The 2020 competition themed: “City Shaper” was in collaboration with NITDA, the Federal Ministry of Education among others and hosted by The Baze University in Abuja.
The Minister of State for Education, Honourable Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, speaking through the Permanent Secretary, Arch. Sonny Echono, said all Unity Schools will subsequently participate in the robotics competition meant to strengthen critical and computational thinking among students.
The FFL Coordinator for West Africa, Mr. Olajide Ajayi, said the tournament is to help the young students to task themselves, enhance team work and competition.
In his opinion, the chairman, coderina board, Femi Niyi, (Chair Coderina Board) stated that the competition is a culmination of weeks of learning activities, researching and discovery in science and technology Children aged 9 to 18 years numbering about 1000 and 50 teachers drawn from 60 schools participated at this year’s national championship with Metra 101 Team from FGGC, Ikot Obio Itong, Akwa Ibom State emerging overall champions. First Lego League is an initiative Coderina Education and Technology Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation With more initiatives like this meant to catch them young, observers are of the view that Nigeria would move up the global digital competitive index.
