By Ezekiel Sunday
When Governor Caleb Mutfwang assumed office on May 29, 2023, one of his earliest priorities was to reposition Plateau State as a competitive force in Nigeria’s digital economy.
His “Time is Now” administration has since placed information and communication technology at the heart of its youth empowerment and governance agenda.
A key partner in this drive is the Plateau Information and Communication Technology Development Agency, PICTDA.
The appointment of Engineer Dominic Datong as Director General injected fresh energy into the agency and the broader ICT ecosystem.
With PICTDA driving innovation and youth empowerment, the “Time is Now” administration is laying a foundation for startups, digital skills, and transparent governance.
His leadership has unified stakeholders, spurred innovation, and inspired new projects that are giving Plateau youths both access and opportunity.
One of the outstanding projects is the Innovation Centre at Murtala House, which is being developed as a hub for startups and youth-driven enterprises.
Beyond infrastructure, PICTDA has supported training programmes under the Federal Government’s 3MTT scheme, equipping young Plateau citizens with skills in coding, digital marketing, and software development.
To address access barriers, the agency also provided free internet connectivity to critical portals such as the Federal Government’s job portal and JAMB registration site, ensuring young people could compete for opportunities without being limited by connectivity challenges.
Governor Mutfwang’s strategy is not only about training but also about scaling local talent into viable businesses. Corestream, a pharmaceutical logistics platform, has been linked to American investors and is currently expanding operations.
Also, Edu-MGR, a homegrown education management application, has grown from 50 schools to over 2,000 and is attracting adoption interest from Bauchi, Kano, Kogi, and Benue states. These success stories illustrate the potential of Plateau-born innovations to create real economic value.
The administration is also investing in the digital transformation of government operations. The Plateau State Government website has been redesigned to international standards, while the Education Management System has begun streamlining school operations.
Ministries, departments, and agencies are now connected through an inter-government network, supported by Voice Over IP solutions that improve internal communication.
At the fiscal level, enterprise resource planning solutions are driving greater accountability. The Plateau Government Financial Information Management System now provides real-time visibility into financial transactions across MDAs.
Complementary systems for asset management, budget control, and staff verification are helping to cut waste, track resources, and eliminate ghost workers from the payroll.
For PICTDA, innovation is also about culture. The agency introduced a monthly Tech Talk and Bulletin to encourage dialogue, share knowledge, and keep the public engaged in Plateau’s digital transformation journey.
Taken together, these interventions show a consistent strategy: empower youths with skills, link them to opportunities, support startups to scale, and embed technology in government to ensure transparency.
Governor Mutfwang’s administration is betting big on ICT as a driver of both economic growth and social inclusion.