Ogun, US Consulate partner on ICT

…unveil ‘Window on America’ project

…Abiodun charges youths to leverage opportunities in ICT

The governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has challenged Nigerian youths to leverage the enormous opportunities available in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to make themselves self-reliant and relevant in the future.

Abiodun made the call on Thursday at the unveiling of ‘Window on America’, an ICT project initiated by the American Consulate office in collaboration with GFA Technologies at the Ogun State Tech Hub, Kobape Road, Abeokuta.

He said the establishment of the American Window at the Ogun State Tech Hub is the product of a visionary public-private partnership involving the Ogun State Government through the Bureau of Information Technology, the forward-thinking GFA Technologies group, and the US mission.

The governor observed that the State understands the transformative power of digital innovation in driving sustainable economic growth, generating employment, and enhancing the quality of life of the citizenry.

Abiodun noted that the project testifies to the administration’s firm belief in collaboration over competition and the idea that innovations thrive while borders are widened by a shared vision.

The spaces, the governor revealed, apart from offering free programming, an English conversation club, digital literacy workshops, and discussions on global affairs, also provide access to American-authored books, journalism, and digital resources.

Also speaking, the Acting Consular General of the United States, JoEllen Gorg, said Window on America stands as a symbol of what is possible through strong and innovative leadership, as it is part of the growing network of 29 American spaces across Nigeria and the second in the state.

The American envoy disclosed that the window is equipped with modern computers, fast internet, access to thousands of physical and electronic books, billions of academic articles, dissertations, and theses through e-library resources, calling on the youths, entrepreneurs, teachers, as well as those in the creative industry to take advantage of and explore the window, assuring them of America’s support.

In his remarks, Debo Omololu of GFA Technologies said his company had invested N400 million in Ogun State and employed over 1,000 people in software engineering at the center, calling on the youths to avail themselves of the opportunity brought to them to be relevant in the future.