Nigerian Youths Tasked On IT Upskilling For Better Future

Adenike Osofisan, the first female Professor of Computer Science in Africa has encouraged Nigerian youths to take brush up on their Information Technology (IT) skills to enhance their future.

The professor said this at the closing ceremony of an IT programme with the theme, 'Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) for youth' on Tuesday in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the IT programme was put together by the Shining Stars Initiative International (SSII), a mentoring and capacity building forum for teenagers and youths.

Osofisan said by brushing up on their IT skills, youths can sell their skills and become job creators rather than job seekers.

“If they create a job they will be an employer instead of looking for a job.

“The best skill to pick up today is an IT skill; because with a very good IT skill they can work for any company anywhere in the world and earn hard currency while still in Nigeria.

“Education is not a scam but an enabler, so they should take it seriously,” she said.

The data mining and knowledge management expert encouraged the participants to make good use of the knowledge gained from the training to make a positive difference.

An IT expert who is one of the facilitators of the programme said the youths were the country's greatest resource to develop its human capital resource.

“Many students are not in school now because of ASUU’s strike. But as bad as that is, an average person can make the most of his time now because knowledge is everywhere.

“There is a lot that can be learnt online, information is not hidden as it was in times past,” he said.