- Two tech enthusiasts make cash, IT donations to drive initiative
SkillUpImo Project, the youth’s digital skills empowerment programme being implemented under the Distinguished Sen.
Hope Uzodimma’s administration as the Executive Governor of Imo State, has received fresh boost and appeal with private sector players already keying into the vision to turn Imo State into a leading digital hub in Nigeria.
Two individuals, Chief Leo Stan Ekeh, Founder of Zinox Technologies and Mr. Innocent Chibuzor Unoha, President and Chief Executive Officer of Inno & Bisco Groups, have demonstrated their support to the State Government’s vision to transform Imolites (Imo State citizens) into global citizens with relevant digital skills in the 21st Century.
Eke made a cash donation of N12.5 million to the State’s Ministry of Digital Economy and E-government, the ministry implementing the SkillUpImo Project, to support the effort of the State Governor in training and empowerment of Imolites with employability skills in emerging and mainstream technologies.
Ekeh’s Zinox Technologies is one of Africa’s most integrated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company, first Nigerian internationally-certified ICT firm also rated as a leading ICT firm in Africa as a whole.
Ekeh, an illustrious son of Imo State and Forbes rated billionaire and IT guru, has supported the Imo digital initiative not just financially but has job opportunities awaiting 200 graduate trainees of the SkillUpImo project with specialisation in phone repairs, digital marketing, and so on.
Also, Unuha, an entrepreneur of note, tech enthusiast and philanthropist, who is based in Istanbul, Turkey, donated 10 units of high-end modern laptops to the Ministry in support of the SkillupImo initiative of Hope Uzodimma’s administration.
Commenting on the donations by the two individuals, the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Digital Economy and E-Government in Imo State, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, said the gestures were a welcome development and a clear testimony of the general appeal which the SkillUpImo Project has generated across demographics since it was launched in December, 2022.
While thanking the donors, for their actions, described as a good sign of public buy-in and embrace of the forward thinking and innovative leadership of the Hope Uzodimma’s administration, the Commissioner said the gestures were symptomatic of the donors’ philanthropic and corporate social responsibility to the efforts of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Imo State, Distinguished Sen. Hope Uzodimma.
Amadi, who called on other corporate bodies, illustrious sons and daughters of Imo State and well-meaning Nigerians to come forward and support this noble project of rescuing our future generation and equip them with relevant digital skills, stated that private sector partnership and collaboration in digital economy is very crucial as it drives businesses, speeds up innovation, creates jobs, wealth, aids in building modern, sustainable and reliable infrastructure, and makes for cost-efficient operations.
The SkillupImo Project is the premier human capacity development programme focused on empowering Imolites with cutting-edge digital skills that will keep them relevant in the 21st century with the target to, among others, train 300,000 Imolites over the next three years.
They would be trained in both entry and advanced-level digital skills such as computer appreciation, device repairs and maintenance, content creation, web design and development, Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data Analytics, Cybersecurity and so on in order to drive ICT-enabled social economic growth and development in the State
