Cloud company, Amazon Web Services (AWS) said that its commissioned research has revealed that 30 to 45% of jobs in Nigeria will require digital skills by 2030.
The Vice President of Global Services at AWS, Uwem Ukpong, who was in Nigeria earlier this week to meet with the Nigerian government officials disclosed this during a media roundtable in Lagos.
According to him, the findings indicate that Nigeria would need to build more capacity in digital skills by training more people.
He said the meeting with Nigerian government officials was centred on how the country can be part of the AWS global plans to train 29 million people globally for free by 2025.
He noted that AWS’s investment in Nigeria encompasses not only technological infrastructure but also a strong commitment to human capital development.
Recognizing the importance of skill-building in the digital age, AWS has made significant strides in training and upskilling the Nigerian workforce.
Discussions with the government
Highlighting the focus of the meeting with the Nigerian government officials, including the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, and the Minister of Communications Innovation and Digital Economy, Ukpong said:
- “We have seen that 30 to 45% of the jobs in Nigeria will require digital skills by the year 2030 and that means that capacity development and training and preparing people for this is going to be key.
- “The discussion I had with the Minister of Communications, innovation, and Digital Economy was about what programs the government is putting in place here in Nigeria and how can AWS invest because we have a charter to support and invest in up-and-coming economies as they look to develop talent interoperability.
- “And so that was the discussion we had and we’ve now set up a forum or a session where we’ll come together in January 2024. We call it an executive briefing session, or executive visioning session to sit down with the Minister and say, what are the key items in your five-point plan that you want to see executed in 2024? And how can AWS as an organization support you in that sense?”
Working with the Nigerian government
Ukpong, leveraging his Nigerian heritage and extensive experience in spearheading technological initiatives across Africa, expressed profound gratitude for the warm reception by His Excellency, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Hadejia, and the entire team.
He emphasized the significance of this high-level engagement as a major step forward in working closely with the Nigerian Government to deliver on its promise of a renewed and hopeful future.
- “It was a privilege and honour to meet His Excellency, the Vice President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima GCON and discuss strategies around digital transformation. The Vice President shared some key insights and reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the economy and welcoming new investment opportunities in this dispensation. I would like to thank His Excellency, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Hadejia, and the wider team for their hospitality and look forward to working closely with the Nigerian Government to deliver on its renewed hope promise,” said Ukpong.
Through initiatives such as AWS Academy, AWS re/Start, and AWS Educate, AWS has trained over 50,000 Nigerians in cloud technologies since 2017.
These educational programs are crucial in equipping the Nigerian workforce with the necessary skills to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
