The Kaduna State Government has partnered with experts in the development of a data digitisation plan aimed at strengthening the coordination in the collection and use of data for evidence-based decision-making and problem-solving.
The 2022 Kaduna Datathon is currently being implemented by the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics (KDBS) in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGFl, and the Natview Foundation for Technology Innovation (NFTI) as a follow-up activity to the.2021 Click-On Kaduna Data Science Fellowship Programme.
The NFTI is basically to identify and build the capacity of no fewer than 100 young people in data management to contribute to the policy development cycle and programme planning.
At the 2022 Kaduna Datathon final where data hackers from across Nigeria convened and pitched their solutions, the Executive Director, NFTI, Nuradeen Maidoki said the Kaduna State Government took a unique approach to solve the state’s numerous challenges in evidence-based decision-making.
Maidoki said: “In a world of growing populations, scarce resources, changing demographics, and shrinking budgets, Kaduna State Government (KDSG) took a unique approach to solve the state’s numerous challenges by developing the Data Revolution plan aimed at strengthening the coordination in the collection and use of data for evidence-based decision-making.
“Evidence-based decision-making helps people to make well-informed decisions about policies, programmes, and projects by putting the best available evidence from research at the heart of policy development and implementation.
“The Data Revolution plan which birthed the Data Lab Project is currently being implemented by the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics, (KDBS), in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Natview Foundation for Technology Innovation.
“The plan has the human capital development around data science as one of its core objectives and this is where the Click-On Kaduna Programme comes in.
“The Click-On Kaduna Digital Development umbrella is a brand created by the KDSG to drive transformational change for young people in the state.
“Since 2018, the brand has received support from the World Bank Group, the Rockefeller Foundation, WACOM, and recently the BMGF, empowering and connecting young people with skills and networks to participate in the global digital economy,” he said.