The President, Nigeria Youth for Better Leadership (NYBL), Mr Chinonso Anwasia, says youth unemployment and Japa syndrome can be swiftly tackled if indigenous technology opportunities are created for Nigerian youths.
Anwasia, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, urged government and private organisations to create the enabling environment to leverage talents and skills of tech-savy youths for economic growth.
“At this stage, we all know that Nigeria’s best minds are leaving the country and it gets to a point where most of the skilled people, skilled youths to be precise in Nigeria, are the ones working there.
“Nigeria is investing a lot in education for the youths, but other countries are benefiting from this education.
“Many youths, many graduates, they are done with school; with their degree they have so many skills, they are working so hard but then, Nigeria is not providing any opportunities for these youths to be able to implement their skills in the economy.
“Even if the job opportunities are there, it’s only in Nigeria that you see someone earning 70,000 Naira per month, but the person is spending 60,000 Naira for transportation.
“This is bringing so much mental effect on young people because at this stage now, many young people have to resort to fraud to just get a living for themselves.
“So, this is bringing so much mental effect on the young people. It’s bringing depression, it’s bringing pressure, it’s bringing even fear of the future.
“I want the government to work better on providing opportunities for the youths,” he said.
While condemning fraud and other online illegal schemes like ‘yahoo yahoo’, Anwasia urged youths to explore their talents for good, targeting legitimate software and app development that could keep Nigeria at par with other nations.
He also called on security outfits, technology giants and government agencies to leverage the intelligence of youths in technology to fight crime and other vices that plague the nation.
“The youths of Nigeria, both genders, both male and female, they are very good when it comes to technology because at this era, this generation, technology is becoming very vast.
“Most of the things that are being done now is through technology and many youths have skills in technology; they have designing skills, they have developing skills, they have so many skills that could even help the country as a whole.
“But these jobs, these skills are not being implemented well and that’s why you see many youths in Nigeria, they have to go to the United States, Canada, because that’s where this technology is being explored.
“This technology is being provided for these youths to even use their skills and these countries like the United States, they give these youth opportunities to say, okay, what can you do in this field? What can you do in that field?
“Once these youths show these skills, you see they get job opportunities, they get so many other opportunities.
“So, I feel the country should provide job opportunities in technology. The country should also provide seminars that could also help other upcoming youths to learn new skills, to even also acquire new skills,” he said.
The youth leader said the NYBL targets education reform, skill acquisition, job creation, entrepreneurial support and grooming for leadership roles.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Magdalene Ukuedojor
