By: Nafiu Toyin Abdulqadri
The Honourable Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has joined Nigerian youth in celebrating International Youth Day, emphasizing the need for young people to continue pushing the boundaries of possibilities.
In a statement on Monday, Olawande acknowledged the vibrant energy, creativity, and resilience of Nigerian youth, highlighting their contributions to the country’s development through digital innovation. He noted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to harnessing the potential of young people to deliver a compelling digital future for Nigeria.
The Ministry of Youth Development has launched initiatives such as the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) program, in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), aimed at equipping young people with digital skills and promoting their participation in the digital economy.
Olawande urged young people to take advantage of these opportunities, emphasizing the importance of pushing beyond limitations to achieve a desired future. He also appealed to protesting youth, assuring them that President Tinubu is committed to improving their lives and dedicating resources to youth development.
Read full statement below:
AS YOUTH, WE MUST CONTINUE TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF POSSIBILITIES
Being a statement by the Honourable Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande in commemoration of the 2024 International Youth Day
Monday, 12th August, 2024
I join the entire youth community in Nigeria to celebrate this year’s occasion of the International Youth Day.
With the theme, ” _From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development_ ,” this occasion again reminds us of the huge power at our disposal as young people – the digital power, the technology and the accompanying force of innovation.
While I have always believed that the vibrancy, energy, creativity, and resilience of Nigerian youth should be celebrated every single day, this special occasion, however, offers us a distinct opportunity to reflect on the specific way the youth of Nigeria are working to make our nation better and contribute productively towards its overall development.
The majority of Nigerian youth have continued to distinguish themselves and bring honour to our country through their exploits in the digital space. This is why the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, would continue in its commitment to harnessing the energy, enthusiasm, and innovative thinking of Nigerian youth to deliver a compelling digital future for the country.
President Bola Tinubu is well aware that the world is increasingly relying on the digital economy. Hence, he specifically dedicates a Ministry to coordinating the efforts of government in this regard. On our part, the Ministry of Youth Development has continued to explore partnerships and cooperation that connect as many youth as possible to the learning opportunities that would advance the skills necessary for success in the digital economy.
Recently, I spearheaded a successful partnership between the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), an agency of government under the youth ministry, and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to train over 30 million youth in digital literacy and skills through the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) Initiative.
Through an ongoing partnership with Mind The Gap Nigeria, the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has also created a volunteer community of corps members known as Digital Onboarders. This community has continued to work to improve the productivity of youth through digital skills.
Again, as we grapple with the challenge of youth unemployment, I am aware that an estimated 75% of job seekers would stand a greater chance of securing employment within our evolving Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector. However, it is sad to note that the MSMEs have also been experiencing a downward decline in their survival rate due largely to lack of relevant skills to tap into the emerging opportunities that the unfolding digital economy presents.
It is in recognition of this challenge that the Ministry of Youth Development has also initiated the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) as a platform to teach the relevant skills that would propel the active participation of youth in salvaging businesses and partaking in the abundant opportunities in the country’s Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) market.
In the course of driving some of the initiatives and programmes of the Youth Ministry, I have seen firsthand how excited the youth are about our collective future and the promises it holds. This is why we must continue to push the boundaries of possibilities as young people and work to deliver a future we all desire and deserve.
Finally, I would like to again use this opportunity to plead with youth who are still out there protesting. President Bola Tinubu has heard your voices, and he is fully committed to dedicating more time and more resources towards improving the lots of our nation’s youth. He would not fail you.
Happy International Youth Day!
Ayodele Olawande
Minister of State for Youth Development