Kano State has unveiled a programme to train 1.5 million young people in digital literacy and skills by 2027, in a bid to cut unemployment and boost productivity.

The initiative will be driven by the Kano State Information Technology Development Agency (KASITDA) in partnership with KALM Community Initiative, a non-governmental organisation.

KASITDA director-general Bashir-Abdu Muzakkari said the project would produce cohorts with basic, intermediate and advanced digital expertise under the state’s digital economy policy.

“Of the 1.5 million target, 150,000 youths have been engaged as a pilot scheme,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria at the sidelines of a youth forum in Zaria.

He added that 1,150 youths had recently graduated from the state’s entrepreneurship and information technology institutes. The government also plans to replicate the digital interface programme across tertiary institutions.

Muzakkari said KASITDA was hosting a hackathon dubbed HEAT – covering health, education, agriculture and transportation – to prepare for a transition to e-government. The contest would give participants the chance to pitch solutions that could be turned into funded start-ups.

“So far, we have received over 200 applications,” he said, adding that the government would accelerate viable ideas into full companies.

Aisha Muhammad, founder of KALM Community Initiative, said the collaboration was designed to ignite the “untapped potential” of young people across the state.

“The mission is to open doors for youths, especially in technology, by providing practical support to those ready to learn, build and shape a better future,” she said.

The forum, she added, would connect students with digital trailblazers, blockchain experts and developers. KCI also plans to cascade the initiative to other states to tackle unemployment nationwide.