Infrastructure deficit, access to funding, education and skill mismatch, gender disparity, regional and economic inequality, brain drain and talent retention have all been identified as major challenges that must be addressed for Nigeria to become one of the best innovation hubs.
Stating this was the Editor-in-Chief, Leadership Newspaper, Abuja, Mr Azubike Ishiekwene, while speaking on the topic, ‘Empowering Nigeria’s Tech Future, One Young Mind at a Time’ as the keynoter at the third graduation ceremony of the Yomi Denzel Foundation, held at the Seminar Hall of Jogor Centre last Saturday.
While he acknowledged Nigeria as home to about 90 percent of the active tech hubs on the African continent considering Lagos’ startup scenes, he noted that the ICT sector now contributes roughly 16 percent of Nigeria’s GDP, reflecting how technology is becoming a pillar of the Nigerian economy.
He added that crucially, this growth is fuelled by young people.
Charging the graduating students, he said: “Five out of the seven unicorns (startups) that we have in Africa are from Nigeria, and they have attracted about $3 billion in investment as of this year. Thus, this thing that you are doing in tech, you never know where it’s going to land you.
While he solicited an enabling environment where there is adequate funding and free hand for the youth to thrive, he stressed that “it is very clear from what we have seen today, young people from Yomi-Denzel Foundation, are already writing about that future.”
He, therefore, tasked the government to create more innovation centres, mentorship programmes like the YDF tech school, leverage government policy and take advantage of them, encourage the private sector and the town and gown to collaborate, provide framework for continuous learning, celebrate and communicate success stories to foster a vision to solve the Nigeria’s earlier stated challenges.
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Addressing the third set of YDF tech schools, the CEO/president of the YDF, Mr Yomi Denzel Olaniyi, a Swiss-born Nigerian and YouTube influencer, charged them to be mindful of the habits they form, the company they keep, and where they focus energy as teenagers.
Commending the set for the feat, he encouraged them not to rest on their oars, saying “I recognise the hard work you’ve all put in this year, but I must emphasise that this is not the end but the beginning of the rest of your life. We can only support you; the only person who can truly change your life and make it successful is you.”
In her remarks at the event, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Honourable Wasilat Adegoke, lauded the YDF and the sponsor, noting that “the mission of the foundation to empower Nigerian youth aligns perfectly with Governor Seyi Makinde’s commitment on youth development, innovation and job creation We are proud that such a thing is thriving here in Ibadan.
She congratulated the graduands for their resilience.
“you are not just the-trained individuals; you are disruptors, entrepreneurs and solution providers.”
The national coordinator of the programme, Mrs Mrs Temituope Oluwatukesi, noted that a total of 42 students were graduated in third the set with 19 from Lagos and 23 from Ibadan study centres respectively.
The initiative according to her “is all about empowering young people, especially secondary school leavers. The programme is widely open to everyone. It doesn’t matter who you are. You can be the son of a farmer or the daughter of a trader, it makes no difference. The vision is to impact lives, particularly in the tech world. It is fully-funded by the president of the Foundation. Even the certification exam was fully paid for,” she said.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of projects handled by the students and giving of certificates and brand new laptops to outstanding graduating students as well as N20, 000 cash gifts to some others.
and then