The United States of America is planning to set up six information technology resource centres in Nigeria valued at $4 million (N464).

The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Howard Jeter disclosed this Monday at the official opening ceremony of CTO information communication trade show in Lagos.

He said this would be effected through Education for Development and Democracy Indicative (EDDI).

The US envoy siad it was clear that Nigeria is not being by-passed by the fevers of globalisation and technology going by recent development in the country.

According to him, "in the past year alone we have witnessed the start up of internet cafes, new internet service providers, computers in some schools and connectivity hobs that provide access to information at high speed.

He praised the President Obasanjo led government effort in technology development by the approval of the national policy for information technology, saying that it's a right step.

Not only this, he remarked that the Nigerian Economic Policy 1999 to 2003 saw the need to use information technology to enhance education situation in the country.

Jeter stated "the United State hopes that Nigeria will advise its policy objectives of training at least 500,000 IT skilled personnel by the end of 2003.

"On line and distance learning are information tools which must not be over looked as the world moves forward. This week CTO trade event marks important step towards meeting Nigeria's educational and technology goods.

Top computer firms across the country are participating in the trade event, which will come to an end on the may 17, 2002.