Abuja: No fewer than 1,000 youths across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are set to be trained and equipped with advanced digital skills under a newly launched Diaspora-Supported Computer Literacy and Digital Skills Programme. The initiative was launched following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Friends of Nigeria (FON), a diaspora-led organization, and the Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative (URNI) in Abuja on Thursday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the programme targets 1,000 youths in its first phase, with a long-term goal of reaching 30 million young people by 2030. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. John Okoro, Co-founder of Friends of Nigeria, emphasized that the partnership signifies a shift from traditional diaspora contributions to more active, knowledge-driven engagement. “We want to take it a complete quarter further to work actively with partners on the ground towards Nigeria’s progress. We are pleased to have a visionary organization that is not about talking, but about doing and inspiring change,” he said.
Okoro explained that the programme will focus on practical digital and computer literacy, including artificial intelligence and blockchain, to prepare beneficiaries for global competitiveness. He highlighted that digital skills are breaking down traditional barriers, providing young Nigerians access to global opportunities without the need for migration. “The world is flat. The borders do not exist any longer for digital skills. Our vision is to have our youths attract global opportunities and make better decisions for the progress of their communities,” he added.
Co-founder of FON, Mr. Abiodun Odunuga, stated that the organization’s priority is to shift emphasis from remittances to knowledge transfer. “Beyond sending money, something that cannot be over-emphasized is sending knowledge, because knowledge can be traded for anything,” he said, citing India’s success in business process outsourcing as an example Nigeria could emulate. He stressed the importance of harnessing Nigeria’s youthful population as a productive asset and expressed hope that the partnership would help young people become global players and job creators.
Mrs. Obiageri Ndulue, Lead Strategist at Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative, described the partnership as a crucial step toward converting Nigeria’s human potential into measurable outcomes. “We want to see how we can translate us from low-cost to very high-cost. We started out as a group of young people seeking knowledge to equip others. We want our accolades to come from the lives that will be changed,” she said, confirming that Friends of Nigeria had donated 38 laptops to support the pilot phase.
Ndulue emphasized that the programme would adopt a ‘train-the-trainer’ approach to create a ripple effect, enabling initial beneficiaries to pass on their knowledge to others. “The life of one person who becomes a remote worker, starts earning in foreign currencies, and transforms their family, that’s the story we want. By focusing on this level of impact, we are not just training youths; we are rebuilding the image of Nigeria from the ground up,” she concluded.