Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has revealed that the issuance and certification of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates in Nigeria will now leverage blockchain technology.

This announcement was made during the Stakeholders' Policy Dialogue on the Implementation of the National Blockchain Policy, held in collaboration with the Stakeholders in Blockchain Association of Nigeria (SiBAN) at the Four Points By Sheraton in Lagos on Wednesday, 9 August 2023.

The purpose of the event was to bring together stakeholders, regulators, innovators, and enthusiasts from Nigeria's blockchain industry to discuss practical strategies for implementing the National Blockchain Policy, which was released earlier this year.

Abdullahi highlighted the potential of blockchain technology, stating that the present administration has a keen interest in its capabilities. He mentioned that blockchain has the potential to contribute $1.7 trillion to the global GDP and could add around $40 billion to Nigeria's GDP by 2030, based on the Blockchain World Congress (BWC) report.

Addressing the challenge of certificate forgery, Abdullahi explained that the NYSC certificate is an area plagued by substantial forgery in Nigeria. He emphasized that NITDA is collaborating with NYSC to develop a blockchain-based certificate authentication system. This system will allow all NYSC certificates to be stored on the blockchain, ensuring that individuals can easily verify their authenticity.

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Additionally, Abdullahi disclosed plans to issue blockchain-based certificates for NITDA training graduates. He emphasized that this initiative will encourage adoption across various sectors and industries, with the Central Bank of Nigeria expressing readiness to collaborate within the blockchain ecosystem.

Obinna Iwuno, the President of SiBAN, expressed optimism about the implementation of the blockchain policy document, believing it will drive the nation's progress. He noted SiBAN's role as a representative of the blockchain industry in the national blockchain policy implementation and steering committee.

Mohammed Jega, CEO of Domineum Blockchain and a panellist at the event, stressed the importance of partnerships to expedite development. He advocated for the establishment of institutes within universities across different geopolitical zones to enhance capacity building.

Jega also urged authorities to collaborate with blockchain communities like SiBAN and BNUG and establish supportive frameworks around them.

The implementation of the national blockchain policy document by NITDA is anticipated to shape the trajectory of blockchain technology adoption in Nigeria.