NCC reiterates support for youth entrepreneurship

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is set to assist the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Youth Enterprise develop Youth Entrepreneur Directory that will provide information on young people in pusiness in the country.

Speaking when the NACCIMA Youth Enterprise, Abuja Chapter, visited him yesterday, in Abuja, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, noted that youths are Nigeria’s greatest resource and need to channel their productive energy into profitable ventures, adding that the Commission will support the group to empower the youths through ICT.

He said: “ICT is the in thing worldwide, rather the youths channelling their energies and intelligence into negative things, if they are harnessed, trained and empowered, they can put them to more useful things that will benefit them and the nation at large. We have shared our views with them and showed them the areas they can work more if they want the support of the Commission.”  

Represented by the Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Mrs Felicia Onwuegbuchulam, the EVC said the NCC had carried out youth empowerment in diverse ways both locally and at international levels.

Earlier, the Coordinator of the Abuja Chapter of NACCiMA Youth Entrepreneurs, Ehi Odemwingie, said the group intends to develop capacity of Nigerian youths to make them more productive members of the society, and had come to solicit for NCC support.He said having identified that youths, and not oil as the greatest Nigerian resource, there is a need to address challenges like dearth of data for young people who are in business, lack of skilled work force, lack of semi-skilled work force and youth unemployment. Odemwingie observed that young people have to be innovative, and need to acquire entrepreneurial skills instead of waiting for white collar jobs.