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Tag: Int’l Youth Day

  • Int’l Youth Day: Key into Tinubu’s policies, minister urges youths

    Int’l Youth Day: Key into Tinubu’s policies, minister urges youths

    Minister of State Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has advised youths to key into the developmental initiatives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a prosperous future.

    Her advice was against the backdrop of the International Youth Day held every August 12, which the United Nations set aside to celebrate young ones and their exploits across the globe.

    The minister, in a statement, urged youths to utilise the windows of opportunities in this administration to secure their future. 

    She added that President Tinubu has created a system that nurtures the talents of youths, providing veritable platforms for their robust development.

    The statement reads in part: “On this International Youth Day, I, Honourable Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of State Police Affairs, join the global community in recognising the vital contributions and potential of young people.

    “As we celebrate this year’s theme: ‘From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,’ I acknowledge the critical role youth play in shaping a safer and more prosperous Nigeria.

    “I commend the energy, creativity, and resilience of our young people. 

    “Your innovative ideas, passion, and commitment to creating positive change are essential in addressing the complex challenges facing our nation.

    “The Nigeria Police Force is committed to supporting and empowering youth through various initiatives, including youth mentorship programs in partnership with the Ministry of Youths.

    “We have also partnered with the Ministry of Youths to create a platform for robust engagement between the NPF and the youth and serve as a grievance reporting channel, Community policing engagement, collaborative problem-solving initiatives made possible by my pet project, the citizens town hall engagement on strengthening policing in Nigeria, among other initiatives.

    “The welfare of our officers is undergoing review to boost officers’ morale, and you can attest that there is an increasing level of discipline and professionalism in the Force. 

    Read Also: Int’l Youth Day: Okotete urges youths to harness Tinubu’s reform initiatives

    “As one of you, I recognise that young people are not just the future but also the present. 

    “I pledge to work tirelessly to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all, fostering dialogue and cooperation.

    “Let us work together to build a Nigeria where everyone can thrive. 

    “By our collective will and collaboration, we can build a Nigeria that we are all proud of, one that offers hope, opportunity, and justice for every citizen. God bless our youths.” 

    Every August 12, International Youth Day is celebrated as a special occasion dedicated to recognising the potential, achievements and contributions of young people across the globe.

  • Int’l Youth Day: ‘How EdoInnovates is building global tech talent’

    Int’l Youth Day: ‘How EdoInnovates is building global tech talent’

    The executive director, EdoInnovates, Asemota Izoduwa, has spoken about the impact of the technology hub in the last seven years.

    He said that the hub has remained one of the most ambitious projects of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration.

    He said EdoInnovates boasts of a talent pool of over 50,000 trainees since 2018 across various aspects of technology including software development, robotics, data science, artificial intelligence, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) and product design, among others, Izoduwa added..

    According to him, “In Nigeria, when you think about tech talent, the temptation is to limit your gaze to Lagos with its thriving tech ecosystem and other institutional structures that prop technology innovation and talent development. However, the trend is shifting as new entrants such as Edo State are now showing promise and creating the right environment to nurture globally-relevant tech innovators.”

     Izoduwa said: ‘’Under  Obaseki, the state government sought a piece of the pie in Nigeria’s growing tech space, running with a vision to position the state to take advantage of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

    ‘’This led to the setting up of Edo Innovates, a technology hub located in the heart of Benin City that serves as a platform to nurture talents in technology innovation and build a thriving community of talents, start-ups and innovators. Initially an iteration of EdoJobs, a skills development agency of the government, EdoInnovates pivoted to become a platform for tech talent development, providing bespoke training in collaboration with global companies such as ALX, Udacity, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Decagon, among others.

     ‘’Today, EdoInnovates boasts of a talent pool of over 50,000 trainees since 2018 across various aspects of technology including software development, robotics, data science, artificial intelligence, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) and product design, among others.

     “As we celebrate the International Youth Day today, we look back at the impact of EdoInnovates on youths in the State. It has been a thrilling journey with Edo Innovates so far.

    ‘’One thing that has stood us out over the last couple of years is our ability to turn out good quality talents that are globally competitive.

    ‘’Some of our trainees have gone to work for Microsoft while others have founded their own businesses. For us, EdoInnovates is a one-stop shop for all technology-enabled businesses in Nigeria. We have a world-class training faculty, co-working space, start-up incubation and funding support and lots more that stands us out. We have trained over 50,000 youths in EdoInnovates and they are ready for work.”

     ‘’He noted that EdoInnovates recently on-boarded 50 start-ups which were provided with funding and support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and CcHub. Izoduwa added.

     “As we celebrate the International Youths Day, we are excited to have provided a new lease of life for youths in Edo State providing them with relevant skills and preparing them for the challenging world of work.”

     “One of the success stories of the EdoInnovates is Japhlet Nwamu, who is now a Developer Advocate with Microsoft. He had trained at EdoInnovates and worked with Coven Works out of the hub. After being trained, he ran Data Science and AI bootcamps, which built the capacity of over 250 participants to become Junior Data Analysts and Scientists.

    ‘’He also led an agile team that mentored over 600 secondary school students during Africa Code Week in 2018 and trained over 1500 in Edo State during Google’s CSFirst 2019.

    ‘’Another product of EdoInnovates is Co-Founder, Paywise, Kelvin Odionwe, who started his tech journey from the Edobits programme, an entry level training programme at the hub. He grew through the ranks and built his FinTech start-up out of the hub.

    Read Also: Int’l Youth Day: are we still leaders of tomorrow?

    ‘’He believes he would not have been in the tech scene if not for the support from EdoInnovates, noting that the guidance and capacity building opportunities were instrumental to his success as a founder. He adds that the hub also serves as a veritable source for talent as it trains young people in key tech disciplines for the global workplace.

     ‘’The partnerships lead, EdoInnovates, Efosa Iguodala, said that the hub has thrived on partnerships, noting that the youths in the state are able to acquire globally-relevant skills through an extensive partnerships network that includes ALX, Udacity, among others. 

    He said: “We have achieved a great deal working with local and international partners who have continued to deepen the talent at EdoInnovates.

    ‘’These partnerships have been beneficial because it has ensured that we train people who are able to stand shoulders high with their peers across the globe,”Izoduwa added.