Experts have called on Nigerian youths to harness digital technologies for economic empowerment, while urging government and educational institutions to address the country’s widening skills gap through strategic investments in digital infrastructure and vocational education.
The call formed part of a communiqué issued at the end of a seminar on “Digital Transformation, Youth Empowerment and the Future of Work,” organised by The Help Hub Empowerment Foundation, which brought together industry professionals, policy advocates, educators, and youth stakeholders to examine how technology can drive national development.
In her presentation, the Founder of Campus Work Limited and Director of Administration at the Fati Foundation encouraged young Nigerians to view smartphones as tools for wealth creation rather than mere instruments of entertainment.
She highlighted content creation and digital marketing as viable sources of income, stressing that authenticity, consistency and a willingness to start small were more important than expensive equipment.
Speaking on the broader implications of digitalisation, the National Coordinator of the Association of Retired Principals of Secondary Schools in Nigeria (ARPSSON), Chief Ogah Akawu Patrick, described digital transformation as a developmental necessity rather than an option.
He urged youths to become creators of digital solutions, recommended online learning platforms such as Coursera and Khan Academy for skills acquisition, and identified poor electricity supply as a major obstacle to Nigeria’s digital ambitions.
Providing an industry perspective, Mr Lanre Lamina, Head of Information Systems at GLOBACOM, underscored the growing influence of mobile technology, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data analytics in shaping the nation’s economy.
Earlier, the founder of The Help Hub Empowerment Foundation, Mrs Modupe Onabanjo, paid glowing tribute to the organisation’s staff, describing them as the driving force behind its life-changing interventions across communities.
According to her, the Foundation’s iFoundation is made possible by the tireless efforts of workers who serve not only as employees but also as mentors, advocates, problem-solvers, and agents of positive change in society.
