Mr Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Organization (NITDA), stated that the agency was equipping youth with necessary skills for self-development and job prospects in support of the digital economy goal.
Inuwa said this on Wednesday while giving a keynote address on “Problems, Possibilities and Potential of Nigerian Youths”, at the Youth Entrepreneurship Dialogue (YED).
YED was featured at the Global Entrepreneurship Week in Abuja, which was organized by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN).
The D-G commended Nigerian youth for their consistent drive and enthusiasm towards the deployment of technological innovations in their various entrepreneurship ventures, hence national growth.
“The fact that Nigerian entrepreneurs, mainly the youth, keep delivering on innovation, promoting inclusion, leading to positive socio-economic impact and economic growth, is an indication of Nigeria’s entrepreneurship dexterity.
“Entrepreneurs are and will remain the backbone of the Nigerian economy”, he said.
Concerning the problems confronting the entrepreneurship and ICT ecosystems, Inuwa told the youth that the Federal Government was fully committed to the great entrepreneurial strides made by Nigerian youths.
He stated that the government is putting in place the infrastructure, regulations, and initiatives that would foster an enabling climate.
Inuwa further stated that by producing its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan, NITDA demonstrated its commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and Innovation Driven Enterprises (IDEs) (SRAP).
“NITDA has always been committed to driving youth entrepreneurship and we have continued to train and equip young innovative Nigerians aspiring to realise their entrepreneurial dreams through strategic programmes ”, he said.
Some of the initiatives he listed include the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES) scheme and the Idea Hatch (iHatch) incubation program in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
He also referenced the Bridge to MassChallenge (B2MC), as well as other programs aimed at developing skills.
Inuwa mentioned the recently signed Nigeria Startup Act by President Muhammadu Buhari when discussing the support of the Federal Government for the encouragement of entrepreneurship and the development of more IDEs in the nation.
Inuwa urged the nation’s youth to make the most of the initiative (NSA), saying that the Act will provide them with countless opportunity to reap its rewards.
He recognised that the youth of the country were the most critical elements in the evolutionary process as they were the drivers of change with significant impact on the economic, social, political and cultural transformation in the country as well as globally.
“The youth, their talents, potential, skills and capacities should be healthily and sufficiently channeled to the growth of the society.
“As a nation blessed with young and talented youth, Nigeria can attain economic independence, economic sustainability, and economic invulnerability, through enterprising our developed talents and potential,” Inuwa added.
(NAN)
| ReplyForward |
