We are committed to building youths’ AI capabilities — FG

The Federal Government says it is committed to improving the Artificial Intelligence capabilities of the nation’s youths.

The Head, Public Affairs, Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Mr Akin Ogunlade, said this during an interview on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Nigerian Communications Commission established DBI to promote the development of human resources capacity by training personnel in telecoms and ICT sectors of the nation’s economy.

Ogunlade said the Federal Government was conscious of that fact that any digital training that did make the trainee AI literate was incomplete.

He said DBI and a US-based SBTS Group, LLC, were in partnership to improve the overall digital skills of young people across the country.

He said that the aim of the initiative was to equip Nigerian youth with essential digital skills, and empower them to compete in the global job market.

“As Nigeria’s digital economy rapidly expands, industries such as financial services, healthcare, entertainment, transportation, and ICT are witnessing unprecedented job creation. A significant skills gap remains, with millions of digital and ICT-related jobs going unfilled due to a shortage of qualified professionals.

“This collaboration is therefore a direct effort to bridge this gap by providing advanced training in digital literacy, coding, and other high-demand skills in the labour and employment market.

“This aligns with the government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030) and the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative led by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy,” he said.

He said that trainees were trained for work under a job placement scheme that would allow the cost of training to be offset once employed under the train for work initiative.

He quoted  DBI president, Mr Daser David, as saying that the partnership would create 50,000 direct and indirect jobs within a short time.

According to him, Nigerian youth are the catalyst for transforming our nation’s economic future.

“To pivot from an agriculture-dependent economy to a thriving digital landscape, they require targeted IT up-skilling.

“This initiative bridges opportunity gaps by providing after-school programs in digital literacy and vocational training for underserved youth, empowering them to compete in a tech-driven job market and fuelling inclusive economic growth,’’ David said

He said the collaboration would contribute to the government’s broader mission of fostering decent, productive, and freely chosen employment opportunities for young people, while supporting President Bola Tinubu’s national development agenda.

Ogunlade also quoted Evelyn Lewis, the CEO of SBTS Group, as saying the training would integrate digital skills into vocational education.

Lewis said it would also establish comprehensive on-the-job training systems and engage public and private sector employers in digital job creation.

Lewis said the initiative had commenced with facility upgrades and training programmes at DBI’s Enugu and Kano campuses, with other locations scheduled for subsequent rollouts.

“The initiative also emphasises youth-led digital entrepreneurship, providing participants with the tools to launch and scale their own businesses in the digital space.

“By integrating over 400 new digital courses into training curricula and promoting hands-on learning, the DBI-SBTS partnership is set to drive economic diversification of Nigeria through ICT.

“The initiative’s strong focus on digital entrepreneurship will further accelerate Nigeria’s transition into a tech-driven economy, ensuring sustainable job creation and long-term growth.

“With facility upgrades, BPO center rollouts, and nationwide training programs underway, this collaboration represents a landmark effort in positioning Nigeria’s youth for success in the global digital economy,” she said.