AMIDST FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL IN NIGERIA, DIGITAL SKILLS ARE IMPORTANT
May 29th declaration of President Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu that “subsidy is gone” came as a shock to most Nigerians, as it did indeed hike up petrol prices significantly overnight all over the country. The prices of Premium Motor Spirit, Petrol went from N195 to over N500 per litre.
In response, citizens have been calling for a reintroduction of the fuel subsidy program. However, the federal government has remained steady in its decision on fuel subsidy removal.
Before we go to the main point of this article, let’s take a look at what subsidy is
Fuel Subsidy means the transfer of economic resources by the federal government to the manufacturers (producers) or consumers. A source from Aljazeera explains in detail what fuel subsidy in Nigeria really entails. Some of its highlights are
- An estimated 200 million Nigerian population consumes 70 million liters of fuel every day
- Fuel subsidy was introduced in the 1970s during the regime of the former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo. It was introduced to stabilize the price of fuel.
- The process of refining Nigerian fuel would have made its price go up because Nigerian fuel is being refined in Europe and imported back to the country. The cost of importing and exporting fuel is being shouldered by the Nigerian government as what is known as a subsidy to reduce the price of fuel paid by the Nigerian citizen
Ever since the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria, so many businesses and workers have been affected. This brings about the need to acquire digital skills in order to benefit from the digital economy.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why digital skills are important in light of fuel subsidy removal and how it presents an opportunity for Nigerians to embrace the shift towards digitalization.
1. Digital Skills provide an alternative source of income
Fuel subsidies have helped to provide the basic necessities at more affordable prices. However, the fuel subsidy was tagged with corruption, which leads to a budget shortfall as it takes a larger budget.
Acquiring digital skills during this period would give you an edge to make an alternative source of income different from your 9-5 job. People who possess digital skills such as search engine optimization, Ads specialist, social media managers, content creation, and web development could leverage their skills to earn an income. In addition, with these skills, all you need is a computer, your smartphone, and an internet connection.
And I must also say that you won’t have to bother about the increase in transportation fares because you would be working from the comfort of your home.
You might want to check out Dulph Digital, a digital agency that has produced many graduates that have gained employment in multi-national companies.
CHECK: Amazing reasons why you should choose digital marketing as a career
2. The Growing Digital Economy as a Solution
It is a no-gain saying that the digital economy is growing at an unprecedented pace all over the world, with Nigeria being no exception. With the great opportunities in the digital world, Nigerians can leverage this growing economy by investing in digital skills. E-commerce and digital marketing are a few examples of possible career paths in the digital world. With quality training, Nigerians can leverage the digital economy to create income streams, and if possible supplement the subsidy loss.
3. Opportunity for youth employment
Acquiring digital skills can boost your CV and enhance employment opportunities as a youth. In today’s digital age, there is an increasing desire for digital literacy amongst youth and even a little child of three years of age is naturally inclined towards technology. So, digital skills acquisition is just an opportunity.
Asides from the fact that it enhances their employment opportunities, digital skills acquisition can make you become self-reliant, become your own boss, and thereby contribute to the economy. I must also add that this can serve as a way of reducing unemployment among youth in Nigeria.
4. Access to the Global Marketplace
So far the world is a global village. Acquiring digital skills can give you as an individual the opportunity to sell goods and services online globally. Anyone from anyone can easily reach out to you for your products or services. This can enable businesses to compete in foreign markets and thereby contribute to economic growth.
5. The Government Response
The Nigerian government, in partnership with other private organizations, is promoting digital literacy and ensuring that the relevant tools are available. The Nigeria Communications Commission(NCC) has launched programs such as the Digital Literacy Programme and the Innovators Programme. These two programs are aimed at promoting digital literacy among Nigerian youths, the creation of an ICT company, the publication of ICT-related entrepreneurial activities, and the creation of employment opportunities for Nigerians.
Also, in the past, the Federal Government has also partnered with Google to develop Nigerian youths in relevant training programs called the Google Digital Skills Program. These initiatives are indicative of the recognition of the importance of digital skills in the present economy and a commitment to ensuring that Nigerians can benefit from it.
Conclusion
The removal of fuel subsidies presents a great opportunity to Nigerians to embrace digital skills and transform the economy.
Either as a business owner or as a youth seeking employment, acquiring digital skills is essential to participate actively in our current economy. Because being digitally literate will open you to new opportunities that you never might have thought of. The federal government of Nigeria has acknowledged the importance of digital skills and thus engaged in initiatives aimed at developing digital literacy. Therefore, it is vital for Nigerians to take advantage of these initiatives, develop their skills, and explore a digital economy that presents a range of opportunities.
