The Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy, and Ethics (CSAAE) has flagged off its Digital Skilling and Employment Project (DSEP) aimed at equipping 200,000 Nigerian youths with the skills and tools for digital jobs.
The project, sponsored through a grant by the Coca-Cola Foundation, will equip the Nigerian youth with the skills and tools for digital jobs, which are in increasing demand in the country but are too expensive to acquire.
At the flag-off ceremony in Owerri, the Imo State capital, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation, Saadia Madsbjerg explained that the free training programme, which is in partnership with Corporate Imo Impact Partners and the Ministry of Digital Economy, Imo State, would bring renewed hope to local communities within the state and Nigeria through the intensive training of youths to help them harness opportunities and subsequently generate income for themselves and their families.
The 24-month programme is expected to train youths in cyber security, web development, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, etc. Beneficiaries of this project will be selected from urban, sub-urban, and rural areas in Imo State and across Nigeria.
Madsbjerg said: “We are thrilled to contribute to youth development initiatives such as this, as digital entrepreneurship rapidly gains momentum in Africa. By offering skills and training in this field, we aim to boost socio-economic growth throughout this resource-abundant continent. Our commitment extends beyond Africa to the global stage, as we actively seek collaborations with suitable partners to drive the essential progress needed for Africa’s advancement”.
Imo State Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi noted that digital skills enable people to create and share digital content, communicate and collaborate, and solve problems for effective and creative self-fulfillment in life.
While commending the sponsors, the commissioner said: “Digital skills are key to digital transformation and a significant enabler of each country’s digitization. Instilling the necessary skills has become a key part of national digital transformation strategies, as strengthening digital skills will narrow the global digital divide”.
Founder/Executive Director of CSAAE, Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Godswill Agbagwa emphasised that the programme would inspire youth to launch and grow digital ideas in areas of global market demand. The project will also provide access to subsidised laptops and workstations to enable the trained youths to play effectively in the global digital economy.
