Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has targeted Kaduna and Bauchi states, together with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for establishment of digital hubs to boost Internet access, bridge digital gap and network in hard-to-reach communities.
Board Chair of CITAD, Prof. Amina Kaidal, made this known at a three-day capacity training, in partnership with Hello World, for seven select communities, yesterday, in Abuja.
She said the training would bridge the digital divide and serve as a means of engaging young people in productive ventures.
Under the project, she added, the hubs tagged ‘Hello Hubs’ target hard-to-reach communities, which, in most cases, lack Internet connectivity.
“What CITAD is doing is to open these communities to have easy access to the Internet. So, the training is to empower the communities. The most significant thing for us is to see that these communities are connected to the Internet, so that they can experience what others are experiencing in terms of communication.
“We want more organisations to collaborate with us, so that we can continue to expand our services to more communities.”
In partnership with CITAD, according to the Director, Implementation and Programmes, Hello World, Komuyistan Fiona-Esther, the organisation is training workshop participants to support their communities bridge the digital divide.
“One of the things we are doing with CITAD is that we have brought together seven communities to train them on how to build their own digital apps, so that they can support their communities to bridge the digital divide.
“We selected two participants for the three-day training and a three-day build-up activity. The training will help them to understand what Hello Hub is, how they can build their own hubs, how they can train and support their own communities and build more hubs that will bridge the digital divide,” she said.
A participant at the training, Ismail Shuaibu, from Dakwa community in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), FCT, expressed optimism that his participation would benefit his community.
Also, Wasila Yahaya, a participant from Jema’re in Bauchi, said she had started learning some of the key roles the hubs would play in her community in terms of access to Internet networks.
The benefiting communities include Dakwa, Pasepa, Tungan Ashere and Leleyi Gwari in FCT; Jama’are and Itas in Bauchi; and Ƙafanchan in Kaduna.
