The Federal Government has launched the Digital Nigeria Mobile Application and Portal in line with the Digital Nigeria Programme initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari on March 19, 2020.
The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCDE), Dr Isa Ali Pantami floated the mobile application yesterday at a virtual event.
During the launch, Pantami stated that the ministry was collaborating with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Microsoft to give Nigerians easy access to progressive digital skills.
We are championing a paradigm shift that lays emphasis on skills, in preference to merely having degrees without skills. Degrees are only meant to validate skills, this is a growing trend across the globe -Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy
“The digital literacy and skills pillar recognises the fact that citizens are the greatest assets in any economy, including the digital economy. It will support the development of a large pool of digitally literate and digitally skilled citizens,” he added.
The Digital Nigeria mobile app/portal has been introduced barely three days to Nigeria’s 60-year Anniversary and Independence Day celebration on October 1.
The Android version of the Digital Nigeria mobile app is available for download on the Google Play Store. The portal is also accessible here.
Whether you are a student, entrepreneur or job-seeker, here are five things you can do with the Digital Nigeria mobile app:
1. Enrol for Up to 27 ICT Courses
After registering for the Digital Nigeria programme through the mobile app or portal, you will be able to undertake up to 27 different ICT courses on the platform. The courses range from Basic Computer knowledge to Microsoft Office, Data Science and Networking.
The ICT courses are grouped into three sections – Basic Digital Skills, Intermediate Digital Skills and Advanced Digital Skills. There are 14 courses available for basic digital skills, 5 courses for intermediate and 8 courses for advanced digital skills.
Course content includes short videos and Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. Both can be downloaded to your mobile phone for later study or reference.
Average course duration is about 30 minutes, and you can take the courses at your own pace. While on the app, you need only click on ‘Add Courses’ to begin learning.
2. Gain Digital Skills At Zero Cost
In Nigeria, many people usually do not enrol for online courses because of the costs associated with it. Popular global e-learning platforms such as Udemy, Coursera and edX require users to pay a specified fee for each course they want to undertake.
However, the Digital Nigeria mobile app enables you to skill up without having to pay a stipulated amount. All courses available on the platform are completely free.
All you need is sufficient data and good internet connection.
3. Enrol For Business and Finance Courses
You can enrol for up to 14 business and finance courses to develop your ability as an Entrepreneur using the Digital Nigeria mobile app.
These courses are grouped under the “Entrepreneurial Skills” section on the platform. Courses including how to build your business, explore the market, understand financial risks and develop your workforce are all available.
4. Acquire Soft Skills
Under the “Soft Skills” section of the Digital Nigeria mobile app, you can register for two courses – How to find your dream job and Resumes.
There is always an ongoing debate about the employability of Nigerian graduates and job seekers. A lot of this has stemmed from the inability of average job seekers to target the right jobs suitable to their skills as well as their inability to market themselves properly while applying for such jobs.
Therefore, the courses in this section cover how to write functional, student and chronological resumes as well as how to draft impressive cover letters and adequately prepare for job interviews.
5. Obtain a Free Certificate of Completion
The Digital Nigeria mobile app also allows you to get a Certificate of Completion which is totally free. Once you have completed all study materials for a specific course, you will be required to take an exam.
You have to pass the exam to be able to unlock your Certificate of Completion. Upon success in the exam, you can easily obtain your online certificate courtesy of Digital Nigeria and Microsoft.
While speaking further about the Digital Nigeria mobile app, Pantami said: “We will keep updating the course offerings to reflect global trends. The Digital Nigeria Programme will provide a platform to empower Nigerians to develop relevant skills and build innovative solutions to address challenges within.”