By Olasunkanmi Onifade
The Young Innovators of Nigeria (YIN) has identified stronger investment in young people, digital literacy, quality education and home-grown technology as key drivers of Nigeria’s economic transformation.
The Executive Director of YIN, Joy Buba, said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja to commemorate the International Youth Day.
The theme was tagged: “Different Contexts, Same Aspirations.
She said the theme reflected the reality that young people, regardless of social, economic, cultural or geographical background, shared common aspirations for quality education, opportunities, innovation and a better future.
Buba said that Nigeria should begin to view its young population not just as beneficiaries of development, but as active contributors to the country’s economic and technological future.
“Young people may come from different contexts, but our aspirations are fundamentally the same. We want access to quality education, opportunities, technology, decent livelihoods and the freedom to build a better future.
“Our responsibility is to create an ecosystem where those aspirations can become reality,” she said.
Buba stressed the need to extend Nigeria’s digital transformation to rural and underserved communities, noting that geography should not determine access to technology.
“We cannot talk about a digital future for Nigeria when a young person in a rural community does not have access to the same digital opportunities as someone in Abuja, Lagos or any other major city. Digital literacy must reach the grassroots,” she said.
Buba said YIN was working to connect youths to opportunities in Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital skills, entrepreneurship, education and innovation, while supporting youth-led solutions in agriculture, healthcare, fintech, renewable energy, education and climate technology.
She urged government to move beyond traditional job creation and focus on supporting young innovators already building technology-driven solutions to local challenges.
“My expectation from government is that we move beyond simply creating job opportunities for young people. We need to invest in the young innovators who are already building.
“Nigeria has young people developing AI-powered solutions that can address challenges across healthcare, agriculture, education, finance, climate and other critical sectors,” she said.
According to her, investment in young innovators should be viewed as an economic development strategy, not just a youth development programme.
“When we build our own AI-powered solutions locally, we are building intellectual property, reducing dependence on expensive imported technologies, creating local industries and generating new jobs,” Buba said.
She said that Nigeria had the talent and market to become a producer of technology and AI solutions rather than remain primarily a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.
Buba called on government at all levels to strengthen support for research and development, innovation funding, digital education, technology infrastructure and policies that enable young innovators to develop and commercialize solutions.
She further advocated stronger collaboration among the federal and state governments, private sector, universities, investors, development partners and youth-led organisations to create a sustainable environment for youth innovation.
“As Nigeria joins the global community in celebrating International Youth Day, YIN is reaffirming its commitment to building an innovation ecosystem that ensures young people are empowered to actively design, build and lead that future.
“Our young people are ready. The question is whether we will give them the ecosystem they need to build.
“Africa is not waiting for the future. Africa is building it and Nigeria must be at the centre of that transformation,” Buba said.
NAN reports that YIN is a youth-focused innovation ecosystem committed to empowering young Nigerians through technology, digital skills, education, entrepreneurship and innovation. (NAN)www.nannews.ng
Edited by Uche Anunne