Nigerian-based tech company, Precision Automation Consult has concluded plan to offer free digital skills training to over three million Nigerian youths across the country in order to address the growing rate of unemployment.
Its Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Odah, disclosed at a media brief in Ibadan on Friday.
The training programme which is targeted at over 3 million youths, according to the Chairman, would be executed through the NGO arm of the Company, “Skillify Digital”
Odah added that his team is moving to other states in the south west to equip youths with the requisite digital skills to become self reliant and financially independent.
He noted that to transform the economic landscape of Nigeria amid growing pressure to seek greener pastures out of the country also called “japa” by youths, a deliberate action by key players in both public and private sectors is urgently required as government alone could not provide a lasting solution to the unemployment challenge in the country.
While stressing the need for the country to adequately explore what was described as ‘boundless’ opportunities in the tech and IT industry, Mr Odah said youths could transform the energy used for unproductive activities on social media to real time career and earn decent and legitimate money from the digital market.
According to Odah, the commitment of Precision Automation Consult to lift three million Nigerian youths out of poverty via digital literacy also aims to address the high unemployment rates and reduce the multifaceted poverty levels affecting the country’s youth population.
Speaking further, Odah emphasised the urgency of the digital literacy program saying “Our goal is to empower the next generation of Nigerians with the skills necessary to thrive in a digital economy and the emerging global market.
“We believe that by providing free access to quality training, we can significantly reduce poverty and create opportunities for millions of our youths who are wasting away with unproductive activities on social media or engaged in Internet frauds.
”The ‘Skillify Digital’ program for the targeted three million youths will offer a range of courses, including software development, digital marketing, data analysis, web creation and publishing, as well as cybersecurity.
“We’re working on a plan for the training to be conducted in various locations across Nigeria, and to ensure accessibility for both urban and rural participants.
“We’re working assiduously and strategically in collaborations with state governments and other partners to further enhance the program’s reach and effectiveness,” he said.
Odah who shared personal experience and his transformational journey from struggling to financial freedom, also emphasized the critical need for digital skills in today’s job market, noting that many young Nigerians were currently unprepared for the demands of a rapidly evolving digital economy.
“By equipping our youths with these skills, we not only prepare them for employment but also encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, which drive economic growth in the long term,” Odah stated.
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