By Patricia Amogu
The Asiwaju Skills and Innovation Vanguard (ASIV), a support group, has pledged to support President Bola Tinubu’s youth empowerment and technology initiatives across Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The Director-General of the group, Joel Eze, said this on Saturday in Abuja at a news conference, adding that the initiatives aimed to equip young Nigerians with digital skills and expand economic opportunities.
Eze said the organisation was committed to supporting Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by linking grassroots mobilisation with economic empowerment, technological innovation and youth development.
He commended the President for supporting Nigerian technology innovators to participate in the National Innovation Challenge in London, where young Nigerians showcased artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and other emerging technologies.
According to him, the participation provided an opportunity for Nigerian innovators to demonstrate their capabilities and compete internationally.
Eze said the group planned to introduce nationwide training and grant programmes in AI, software engineering, data analytics, hardware technology and other emerging fields.
He added that the organisation would establish empowerment boot camps across the six geopolitical zones, providing young innovators with start-up toolkits, technical support and grants.
The director-general also said the group was developing a national situation room in Abuja, equipped with a real-time data command centre and reporting system covering all 774 LGAs.
He urged young Nigerians to take advantage of available training and innovation opportunities, noting that digital skills could improve their employability and enable them to work for organisations worldwide.
Eze said the group would mobilise its members to disseminate information about government programmes in grassroots communities, ensuring that eligible youths were aware of available opportunities and could apply.
He called on individuals, institutions and other stakeholders to support the initiative, saying youth empowerment and technology development required collective efforts.
Also speaking, the National Women Leader of the organisation, Sharon Ayiki, said women remained critical to national development and pledged to mobilise women across various sectors to support the group’s activities.
Ayiki said market women, farmers, teachers, students, entrepreneurs and mothers all had important roles to play in advancing the country’s development.
Earlier, the National Secretary, Nafiu Adamu, urged young Nigerians to acquire relevant digital skills, including cybersecurity and other emerging technologies, rather than rely solely on government employment.
He said technology training could enable youths to access international job opportunities and earn income by providing services to organisations outside Nigeria.
Adamu also highlighted opportunities in robotics, digital intelligence and solar technology, urging young people across the six geopolitical zones to participate in the group’s programmes.
He said grassroots mobilisation would be strengthened to ensure that information about training, grants and other empowerment initiatives reached communities nationwide. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
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