One hundred and twenty students have graduated from the Badagry 1,000 Tech Talents Programme, an initiative of Mr Sesi Whingan, the lawmaker representing Badagry Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The initiative is part of Whingan’s vision to equip 1,000 youths in Badagry Federal Constituency with cutting-edge technological skills to address unemployment and poverty. The training programme was organised in partnership with Codeverse Africa, a tech training and capacity-building organisation.
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Speaking at the ceremony, Whingan expressed delight at the success of the programme’s first cohort and highlighted his commitment to fostering technological innovation among youths in Badagry. He emphasised the importance of transitioning from consumers to creators in the tech-driven global economy.

Whingan said that the remaining 880 students would be trained in the coming year. “The exceptional performance of this cohort assures me that my dream of equipping Badagry youths with tech skills is achievable.

“I promise to support and partner with any trainee who comes up with innovative tech projects from this training.

With expertise in technology, we can significantly reduce unemployment and poverty in Badagry,” he said. The lawmaker presented certificates of completion to all graduands and gifted brand-new HP laptops to 50 exceptional trainees who demonstrated outstanding proficiency during the four-week training.

The facilitator from Codeverse Africa, Mr Sejiro Ajose, told the graduating students that the training was an introduction to technology. “Do not let this be the end of your training. This is the beginning of the world for you, do not sell your laptops,” Ajose told the graduands. Prince Olu Kosoko, the son of Oba Oladele Kosoko, Oni-Woro of Iworo kingdom, Badagry, said the choice the graduands made would surely change their lives.

He urged them to use the knowledge gained during the training to invest in the communities. He also advised them to take advantage of the training to empower themselves. In his remarks, Dr David Opeyemi Oke, Chairman of the Technical Organising Committee, praised Whingan for his foresight and dedication to empowering the youth.

“Technology is the goldmine of our era, and Whingan’s initiative positions Badagry youths to reap its vast opportunities. This is a transformative step for the community,” he said. The highlight of the event was the presentation of six innovative tech projects by the graduands, grouped into teams. Their projects drew admiration from guests and underscored the transformative potential of the initiative. Participants in the training were drawn from Badagry Local Government, Olorunda Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Badagry-West LCDA.
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