By Admin
The Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has approved the training of 40,000 state and local government employees in e-governance, data policy and regulation, and ICT compliance to modernize governance and enhance digital literacy in the state.
To this end, the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to strengthen data protection awareness and build capacity among civil servants.
Speaking at the MoU signing event in Abuja, Benue State Commissioner for Communications and Digital Economy, Mr. Kwaghgba Amande, emphasized that the initiative was part of the government’s broader plan to digitize all sectors of the state’s economy.
He explained that Governor Alia demonstrated his commitment to digital transformation by allocating 20% of the state’s 2025 budget to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
The National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, lauded the initiative, noting that the agreement would help safeguard the data privacy rights of Benue residents while promoting responsible data governance.
Dr Olatunji said the NDPC would oversee the training and certification of selected civil servants and Benue youth through the National Certification Examination for Certified Data Protection Officers (CDPOs) and each MDA and Local Government Council would have qualified DPO to enforce compliance and promote a privacy-conscious culture.
The Managing Director of the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company (BDIC), Mr. Gbande Terwase, announced that the ICT training would be conducted in collaboration with the Digital Bridge Institute to further boost the state’s digital agenda.
He also revealed that the state government is in talks with China to locally manufacture and brand laptops for use within Benue and beyond.
He said the BDIC had introduced a “One Student, One Computer, One Digital Skill+” initiative aimed at equipping students with essential digital skills while ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations.
He affirmed that with the strategic move, Benue State was positioning itself as a leader in Nigeria’s digital revolution, fostering innovation, data protection, and ICT-driven governance.
To ensure the seamless execution of the MoU, a committee has been set up to oversee the implementation and drive the state’s digital transformation forward.
