UNICEF Tasks Stakeholders On Building Digital, Globally-competitive Youth

Stakeholders have been urged to build a Nigeria where every child is digitally ready, the youth employable and every adolescent can compete anywhere in the world.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Chief of Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, who gave the charge, said digital skills acquisition is no longer a luxury but necessary to determine future opportunities.

Speaking at a two-day media dialogue to support advocacy for Accelerated Digital Learning for Nigerian youths, Lafoucriere revealed Nigeria is projected to have about 126 million children and adolescents by 2030.

Lafoucriere who stated this at the event organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Information in collaboration with UNICEF in Lagos State, said this would be the largest youth population in the whole of Africa.

Lafoucriere, while noting that the huge youth population can be the nation’s greatest strength and her biggest crisis said this will be determined by skills for future jobs and adequate preparation for the future challenges.

“Eighty (80) per cent of Nigerian young people are still lacking in digital skills and more than 10 million primary school children, as well as 8 million Junior Secondary School students are not in school.

“What this means is that, over 18 million Nigerian youths are not in school, not digitally abled. It also means that 15 out of every 100 girls in Nigeria are not in school, not in training nor in employment. It is a major concern,” Lafoucriere said.

The UNICEF chief, who explained that the federal government has shown commitment through the National Policy on Skills Development, said over 2 million children and youth across 21 states including about 300,000 in the South-West are using the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) with about 62,000 girls and young women completing the digital skills courses.

She called on Nigerian Media to change the digital skills narratives in the country with the right conversations by spotlighting young people to transform their lives through digital education.

“We can challenge the idea that technology belongs only to the privileged, which must not be the case anymore,” she said.

Lafoucriere also charged that leaders should “invest more and increase spendings on what our children need to compete on a global level,” stressing the need to also close the gender gap in technology.

The UNICEF chief also advocated the need to raise the most marginalised communities and prepare young people for the jobs “that do not exist, yet, because, that is what the world is gravitating towards.”

“Let’s ensure that every young Nigerian, whether male or female, rural or urban, rich or poor gets access to digital skills.”

Lafoucriere further demanded the initiative that push back barriers keeping girls from technology and advocate those that hold everyone accountable.”The females and parents should know they have rights to digital skills”.

An UNICEF Education Specialist, Mr Babagana Aminu noted that acquiring digital skills is imperative for young Nigerians as 230 million jobs in Sub-Sahara Africa will require digital skills by 2030, quoting the WEF Future of jobs 2025.

Aminu, who described Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a game changer in the digital world said it could add up to 15 billion dollars to Nigeria economy by 2030, if properly harnessed.

Listing some AI driven job opportunities for the youth to come from sectors like fintech/banking, agriculture/agric tech., healthcare and e-commerce/retail, Aminu said most in-demand skills after 2025 will include cybersecurity experts, AI developers and generative AI specialists.

The education specialist, also noted that digital skills training opportunities in sub-Sahara Africa is worth $130 billion and capable of boosting the African economy to the tune of $180 billion.

Some of the challenges, he identified facing the country’s education as far as digital learning is concerned are: outdated curricula, infrastructure deficit, teachers capacity gap, industry disconnect occasioned by limited collaboration, gender/ regional disparity, lack of device and tools in schools.

He revealed that, over 2 million Nigerians have been registered on a digital platform, Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP), with 12 million being targeted by 2030.

The aim of the platform, Aminu, said, was to improve on learning outcomes for 80 percent learners in school, at home and non-formal across the country with no fewer than 150 communities designated as access points.

Other initiatives designed to bridge the gap include, 3 Million Technical Talent (3MMT) Programme, General Unlimited Nigeria GenU 9JA, ALX Africa, Ingre For Good . All having million of young Nigerians and other Africans trained and empowered.

To bridge the gaps, some of the strategic recommendations by him include, curriculum reform to embed digital, AI and entrepreneurial learning from primary to tertiary levels, strengthening collaboration between private sector and educational institutions, infrastructural development (power, schools internet connectivity).

Others are access and equity through programs reaching the undeserved population, especially girls, embracing AI and emerging technology skills across all training programs and support for entrepreneurs through capital provision, mentorship to reduce start up failure.