By Philip Yatai
Some beneficiaries of the World Bank-supported Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) say the project is equipping Nigerian youths with digital skills to tap from the nation’s digital economy.
The beneficiaries stated this on Tuesday during their graduation, inauguration of internship programme and unveiling of Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd in Suleja.
The beneficiaries were among the 460 youths trained on digital marketing, data analytics and cyber security by Ubelle Neo Cloud Technologies Consortium under the IDEAS project.
One of them, Khadijat Abubakar, a data analytics trainee, described the digital training as one of the best she had ever attended and thanked the organisers for the opportunity.
Abubakar said that the training had equipped her with the necessary skills to tap from the huge opportunities that the digital economy provides.
“I now know how to clean, filter, sort and verify data among other data analytics skills.
“I am looking forward to a very bright future with my digital skills and hoping to become one of the best data analysts in the country by God’s grace,” she said.
Similarly, Lateefat Abdulrazak, another data analytics trainee, said she had always wanted to become a data analyst but did not have the opportunity until now.
Abdulrazak said: “The IDEAS programme has provided me with the needed opportunity to achieve my long-time ambition of becoming a data analyst.
“I will now use my new acquired skills to solve real life programmes in the digital economy space. I am very grateful to the World Bank, Ubelle Nig. Ltd and New Cloud for the opportunity.”
Another beneficiary, Mr Olarin Shadrack, said that the training has equipped him with a digital marketing skill to be able to explore opportunities in the nation’s digital economy.
“I learned a lot about digital marketing and now in the comfort of my home and my little space, I can market my products and other people’s products in the digital space using digital devices.
“I am into agro-farming and other businesses. With my digital marketing skill, I can easily advertise myself online, showcase my talent and make money,” he said.
Earlier, Dr Ali Onoja, the Project Leader of Ubelle Neo Cloud Technologies Consortium, explained that the 460 beneficiaries were selected from more than 900 applicants.
Onoja said that the beneficiaries went through rigorous digital skills development from December 2023 and were equipped with the tools and knowledge necessary to thrive in the digital age.
He explained that the Ubelle Nig. Ltd and Neo Cloud Technologies Consortium were among the 14 private sector organisations selected as grantees of the Innovation Grant Funding (IGF) under the IDEAS project.
According to him, the aim was to equip eligible youths, especially women, the disabled, and the vulnerable, with digital skills and certification.
He said that the digital marketing and digital entrepreneurship skills would enhance the capacity of the Nigerian skills development system to produce relevant skills for the formal and informal sectors.
“However, learning alone is not enough. To turn their skills into successful ventures, they need resources, support, and opportunities, and this is where Fabsi Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd comes in.
“We understand that starting or expanding a business requires more than just knowledge; it requires capital, mentorship, and a network of like-minded individuals.
“Fabsi Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd. is designed to provide the graduates and other interested members of the public with these essential resources,” he said.
Also, IGF Consultant, Mr Ndem Ndiyo, National Project Implementation Unit, Federal Ministry of Education, said that the IDEAS project was an ambitious and transformative initiative designed to enhance the quality and relevance of skills development in Nigeria.
Ndiyo described the project as one of the successful Public Private Partnership in the education sector in Nigeria, designed to leverage resources in the private sector for digital training.
He added that the beneficiaries would be certified in line with the National Skills Qualification Framework, to become employable, self-employed and employers of labour.
“They will go through an internship programme where they will be engaged by the digital industry to put their skills to use after which we will look at job placement for them.
“This in the long run will enable them to impact the nation’s digital economy,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
