Katsina State Directorate of Information and Communications Technology (KATDICT) saved the state government about N5 billion in costs by avoiding the engagement of consultants for the digital transformation of the state's systems, according to KATDICT director-general, Naufal Ahmad.
Speaking to a group of media executives in Katsina, Ahmad said the government's vision was anchored in enthroning a holistic digital transformation, empowered by the deployment of youths from the state as purveyors rather than external consultants.
As the directorate mandated to ensure the digitalisation of government ministries, departments, and agencies, Ahmad said KATDICT serves as the central clearinghouse for all ICT projects, hardware procurement, software development, training, and change management in the house. According to the DG: "The state also operates a Treasury Single Account (TSA) platform enabling digital budgeting, expenditure and revenue flows, alongside shared internet infrastructure across MDAs.
"As a result, we have improved efficiency, reduced governance costs, and increased the speed of service delivery in Katsina. Beyond that, we are creating jobs and enriching the state's coffers".
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The deployment of personnel from the directorate, according to the KATDICT director general, has reduced the cost of IT projects by leveraging its internal capacity.
In Ahmad's words: "Something that would have cost the state N150 million can now be built by an intern here, and we don't charge the government for it".
The directorate has laid 27 kilometres of fibre-optic cable connecting its central office to the state secretariat, Government House, the airport, and the State House of Assembly. It has distributed over 2,000 ICT devices across MDAs to support digitalisation processes.
In the area of training and broadening the frontiers of skills acquisition for youths in the state, Ahmad said KATDICT is presently engaged in training initiatives through state-backed programmes to maintain internal digital systems.
Ahmad said the initiative has brought 250 young people into a peer-to-peer learning environment in Katsina, where meals are provided, and each participant earns ₦100,000 per month during the two-year programme. After their training, they are placed with global companies earning in dollars. Training is delivered through partners such as Tech4Dev and is backed by major multinationals, with internationally recognised certifications that provide mobility and opportunities for trainees upon completion.
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