SDGs: FG Commence Training Of 125, 000 Youth On Digital Skill

The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs has commenced a digital skills training for the empowerment of 125, 000 youth across the federation.

The training holding in all Senatorial Districts in collaboration with Google through its vendor, MindTheGap with the theme: “Diversifying the Nigerian Economy: Enabling Youth through Digital Skills Training.”

According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, SSAP-SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, it is instructive to continue to invest in the youth and empower them with digital skillsin an era that is technologically driven so as to help them leverage technology in order to sustain innovation as well as deploy the knowledge to improve themselves and the economy of the country.

Princess Orelope-Adefulire expressed optimism that the hands on training will further equip the beneficiaries with the requisite knowledge and exposure that are highly sought after in the labour market thereby helping them secure a sustainable future.

The Presidential aide, while acknowledging the positive impact of technology on commerce, science, medicine and practically all aspects of human endeavour, re-echoed the position of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo that digital skills will unleash the creativity, innovation and the boundless imaginative of the most productive segment of our society.

She added that the initiative is in line with the goals and targets of the SDGs. “For us, to attain all-round sustainable development across the indices clearly outlined in the SDGs, we must make the youth focus on the long and medium term strategy. SDG Goal 8 succinctly puts it in the right perspective. It calls on countries to “promote full productive employment and decent work for all”.

“As you well know, job creation is a key priority of the administration. As we create the enabling environment for employment in the public and private sector, we are not oblivious of the fact that employability is pivotal to the success of all job creation initiatives. The future has no place for the digitally illiterate. You are either in it or you are nowhere. This is why the Digital Skill Training initiative deserves special commendation”.

The SSAP-SDGs noted that the training will surely increase the chances of employability of the trainees’ in today’s competitive world. For those who are interested in entrepreneurship, the training is also expected to take them one step further in the right direction, adding thatbusiness owners – small, medium scale or large corporations can no longer ignore the vast potentials of online and digital marketing as an imperative for growth.

“The digital skills training will put the youth in better stead to run and grow their businesses more efficiently. To my mind, this is not just training. This is empowerment with the tool of life”.Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire stated.