Bauchi Launches Ambitious Digital Literacy, Cybersecurity Plans
Bauchi State is rolling out a sweeping technology agenda to boost digital skills, protect data, and open global job pathways for its youth, Governor Bala Mohammed announced Tuesday.
Speaking in Bauchi, the governor unveiled three flagship initiatives — the Digital Literacy and Skills Framework (DL4ALL Bauchi Initiative), the Cyber Nations Programmes, and a Data Protection Policy developed in partnership with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
He said the projects are key pillars of his administration’s ‘My Bauchi Project 2.0’ blueprint, which prioritises digital transformation, youth empowerment, and economic diversification. According to him, the effort goes beyond technological growth, aiming to create “productive jobs that will provide antidotes to poverty.”
“At the core of the initiative is the DL4ALL Bauchi Initiative, developed in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA),” Mohammed explained.
The programme targets digital literacy training for over 100,000 citizens by 2027, along with advanced instruction for 2,000 youths in areas such as software development, cloud computing, and data analytics. Digital education will also be integrated into school curricula and workforce policies.
“This is more than an education program. It is an empowerment revolution. We are building a digitally fluent society, transforming our population into a prosperous community ready for the future,” he added.
The Cyber Nations Programme, created with Canadian firm Protexxa Inc., will provide intensive cybersecurity training for 500 youths over the coming years, including international placements with stipends paid largely in foreign currencies. “We are not only equipping our youths with cutting-edge cybersecurity skills, but we are making Bauchi State a Mecca for cybersecurity and digital expertise,” Mohammed said.
Protexxa’s country representative, Abi-Hafsat Abubakar, described the programme as a gateway to over 3.5 million global cybersecurity jobs. “The CyberNation Programme… is the first of its kind in Nigeria and second in Africa, whereby 500 youths will be trained as certified cybersecurity experts with direct pathways to local and international employment, including opportunities to earn foreign currency,” she noted.
The launch also featured the signing of an MoU with the NDPC to align with the Nigerian Data Protection Act and strengthen governance across ministries, departments, and agencies. Bauchi will create a Data Protection Service Unit to enforce privacy standards and promote responsible data handling. Governor Mohammed called the agreement a “solemn pledge to protect the digital rights of our people.”
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