Firm equips youths with digital literacy skills

Worried about the high level of unemployment rate the country, Paradigm Initiative, has equipped youths in the Ajegunle area of Lagos State and environs with digital literacy skills to drive enterpreneurship development in the country.

The Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative,’Gbenga Sesan, at the launch of its LIFE programme in Lagos, said the firm was set up to connect African youths to digital opportunities, pointing out that over 6,600 youths across the country have been impacted by its digital literacy initiative.

“The work we are doing is to connect the younger people with digital technology opportunities because we believe that technology is the career path that has the least barrier to entry. You do not have to pay too much to learn and technology is at the centre of what we do. With technology access, these youths are connected globally,” he said.

He, however, urged the Federal Government to serve as business facilitators rather than being bottlenecks to the business community.

“Even if the government cannot support, they should stand out of the way and do not be impediments to businesses. When young people are learning, do not send policemen to the streets as if every tech success person is into internet fraud,” he advised.

Also speaking, a Board Member, Paradigm Initiative, Dr. Adebayo Olubi, said technology is absolutely necessary, adding that the language of the future is strictly technology.

He advised that Nigeria must move away from being just consumers of technology to become producers of technology, saying the country has the competitive and comparative advantage courtesy of its human resources.

Earlier, the IT Officer, Paradigm Initiative, Angela Onyegbuna, said the organisation is committed to improving the lives of youths through digital literacy.

She noted that the firm looks out for communities where a huge chunk of the underserved youths are located, in its bid to provide digital literacy skills to make these youths self-reliant.

She disclosed that with the help of one of its local partners, Ajegunle Business School, plans are ongoing to reach as many youths as possible with its digital literacy programmes.