Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS) is an initiative of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) aimed at `enriching the lives of young people through mentorship and inspiration. Accomplished personalities from different backgrounds and professions are invited on monthly basis to speak to the participating youth about their lives, challenges, obstacles, successes, careers, etc with a view to unpacking some hints for the participating youth to copy and apply in order for them to also succeed in their endeavours and careers.

CITAD believed that bringing successful people to mentor and inspire young people is a good way to help positively support the young people’s lives. The initiative started in 2016 and so far featured numerous successful individuals comprising male and female. Previous speakers included Prof. Attahiru Jega former Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Muhammad Tabiu (former Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General of Jigawa state and lecturer, Department of Islamic Law, Bayero University Kano), Ene Obi, Country Director, Action Aid International Nigeria, Haj. Saudatu Mahdi, Secretary General, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA),  Bala Muhammad (Saturday Columnist of Daily Trust Newspaper, lecturer, Mass Communications Department, BUK), Dr. Kole Shettima (Africa Director, MacArthur Foundation), Alh. Murtala Bala Maisallah, CEO, Maisallah General Enterprises, Alh. Muhammad Maharaz, District Head of Rogo and Bauran Kano, Prof. Binta Tijjani Jibril, Director, International Institute if Islamic Banking and Finance, Bayero University Kano, Prof. Aisha Ismail, Director, Center for Gender Studies, Bayero University Kano, etc.

Buharimeter is a radio programme which weighs, analyses and informs the public about campaign promises of President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).  The programme airs every Sunday from 9-10am on Freedom Radio 99.5 FM Kano. Public affairs commentators, relevant stakeholders, academics, members of civil society, etc are hosted on various campaign promises and governance issues. Center for Democracy and Development (CDD) in collaboration with Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with support from Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) sponsor the programme.

Gender Hate Speech and Women Political Participation is a project Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) implements with support from National Democratic Institute (NDI). The project aims to address gender hate speech and promote women participation in politics and governance process without intimidation, harassment or bullying in Nigeria through advocacy and series of campaigns and activities. The project has various components which comprise conducting formative research, monitoring and countering hate speech, stakeholder engagement, online and offline campaign against hate speech and violence against women online, etc.

CITAD KIDHACKS is a program designed to teach secondary school students between the ages of 13 – 18yrs computer programming, to enable them create simple apps and solve mathematical and scientific problems. The KIDHACKS will use Scratch to teach them how to program and also we will use Google Blocky in order to enable them understand different syntax of programming language so that they can compare and understand the different format of each language. ICT Training is a CITAD program design to teach people basic computer operations and data processing with Microsoft Office Packages (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Publisher) and also graphics design using Corel Draw Graphics

Taiyakodin (She knows how to code!)is a CITAD program targeted at young girls. This is a build up on both the digital livelihood project and the digital summer institute for young women between the ages of 18 – 30 years, the prgramme teaches then how to programme and develop mobile apps.

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in partnership with Action Aid Nigeria (AAN), organized a digital skills training for men and women in the grass root communities within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The purpose of the training is to equip youths from hard to reach locations with skills that will enhance their knowledge and experience on computer system and how it can be used to access vast opportunities for community developments. The training includes but not limited to entrepreneurship and business skills to further empower them with tools or material that will further boost business ideas and bring successes and development to their community.

A total number of five (5) ICT centers were cited in five communities, linking each other in the same Local Government. Each community was requested to provide 10 females and 5 males making fifteen beneficiaries in each community and 45 participants per center as meeting point for all three communities.   OBJECTIVES

• To bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas.
• To train community youths on skills that will help develop their literacy in computer applications.
• To engage community youths in using computer knowledge to enhance and develop their business ideas.
• To bring all forms of development to the communities using ICT platform for advocacy.

PROJECT SUMMARY

• ICT for development, prioritising women and working with youths for inclusive IT in the following communities and area councils in the FCT.
  • Bwari Area Council – Pasepa,Kuchibuyi, Guto
  • Kwali Area Council – Kilankwa, Leleyi gwari ,Pai
  • Kuje Area Council – Gaube,Kayache, Tupechi
  • AMAC – Jiwa, Dakwa, Angwagwalada, TungaNasara, Tunga ashere, Gofidna

The Bauchi Feminist Internet School was initiated to train gender digital inclusion advocates who would collaborate with CITAD and join the effort towards bridging gender digital inclusion, by training other women and gender advocates on various issues relating to Internet, advocacy visits, media and stakeholders’ engagements as well as online campaigns using various social media platforms. CITAD has so far trained 21 champions from various states in the northern Nigeria.

The Anti-corruption and Accountability project supported by MacArthur Foundation, aims at deepening and spreading of anti-corruption and accountability in Nigeria through sensitizing and mobilizing citizens to voice their demands for accountability and anti-corruption and amplify these voices to get the buying of decision and policy maker in the country. On this project, CITAD is with 25 Social Influencers who use different platforms and strategies ranging from community/theater drama and poetry performance, radio, TV, use of online platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram WhatsApp, online news sites and offline newspapers as well as Journals to amplify the voices of Nigerians against corruption, increase demand for transparency, anticorruption policies and accountable government at national, state and local government levels

This initiative evolved from a project supported by Rosa Luxembourg Foundation on Addressing Youth Problems in the University system. It has now become a quarterly dialogue in which each round, a topical issue is selected and relevant resources persons asked to lead discussion on addressing the project. Topics so far address include Reviving Radical Student Unions in the University, Social Media in Academic Environment, and Improving Quality of Intellectual Work in the University. Each round brings about 100 people from the three public universities in Kano State consist of academics, students, administrators well as media and select civil society organizations.

Job Placement Information Services (JOPIS) is a scheme by CITAD to assist youth looking for employment and entrepreneurship opportunities by bringing information about job opportunities to them. All the job vacancies and Employment opportunities are posting twice a week on “friends of CITAD”, “CITAD ALMUNI”, “Peace now” facebook pages and CITAD main website. It also organizes generic employability training programmes for young people and students as well specific programmes to equip them to apply for specific entrepreneurship opportunities.

The Digital Livelihood for Young Women is a Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) initiative. It is designed to provide ICT training and marketable skills for young women. The curriculum includes training on blogging such as WordPress, the use of graphic apps for events, weddings, etc. digital video and photographic applications, mobile phone/GSM applications for micro-enterprises, and other applications. The training is intended to equip young women with practical ICT training and the use of ICT tools that will empower young women to work in the ICT industry and to start up Micro-enterprises that will add value to their communities. The long-term goal is to boost Nigerian women’s capacity to actively participate in and to grow the Nigerian economy and to also change ages – long tradition of women being economically dependent from their parents’ hands to their husbands’ hands. It is implemented by CITAD Bauchi through support from Equal Digital Skills Fund

Report a Project Radio Program is part of a larger project of the same which is aimed at deepen accountability by getting students to document abandoned and poorly executed projects in the communities in a bi-monthly competition in which the top three reports are given prizes. Thereafter, CITAD works with members of the community to engage relevant duty bearers to address the issue. The radio program is meant to add voice to the demand also serving as feedback mechanism for the communities. It is a means of creating voice of anti-corruption among young people especially students in the tertiary institutions can be engaged and encouraged to be part of the fight against corruption in the communities and to also be reporting abandoned projects in their respective communities. The program is been aired every Thursday at Freedom Radio Dutse by 5pm