Lagos: Twenty adolescents have completed a two-week Summer Beginner AI and ICT training organized by Action Health Incorporated (AHI). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is designed to equip young people with foundational digital skills and prepare them for emerging opportunities.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the training focused on adolescent girls and boys, exposing participants to basic computer operations, hardware and software, Python programming, and introductory artificial intelligence concepts. Participants also learnt practical applications of AI tools and demonstrated some acquired skills, including developing a simple chatbot capable of generating responses from provided data.
The Programme Manager, AHI, Oluwafunsho Bukoye, said the initiative was designed to bridge the digital divide by equipping young people with relevant 21st-century skills. Bukoye noted that the organisation scheduled the training during the summer holiday to enable adolescents to acquire technology skills and explore how AI could address emerging challenges. She highlighted that the two-week programme was only a starting point, urging participants to continue learning and explore additional opportunities to deepen their knowledge and skills.
Bukoye emphasized AHI’s interest in empowering young people to use technology to address issues affecting their generation, aligning with the organisation’s focus on improving the health and well-being of adolescents and young people. ‘We want young people to lead the change that they want,’ she said. Additionally, Bukoye urged parents to encourage their children to pursue further knowledge and build on the skills acquired during the programme.
At the graduation ceremony, participants took part in a ‘Show and Tell’ session, where they were divided into four groups to demonstrate projects and concepts learnt. The presentations featured demonstrations of AI tools, explanations of basic ICT concepts, and practical applications of the skills acquired during the training. This session also enabled the adolescents to demonstrate confidence, creativity, teamwork, and their ability to communicate their understanding of technology.
The Executive Director of AHI, Mrs Adenike Esiet, urged participants to maintain the discipline and commitment displayed during the programme. Esiet stressed that the two-week training should serve as a stepping stone to greater achievements, while commending parents for supporting their children. ‘Digital literacy and basic AI skills are no longer optional for young people,’ Esiet said. She added that the programme demonstrated that with the right opportunity and support, adolescents could rapidly build confidence and competence in technology.
One of the participants, 15-year-old Justice Ogwuegbu, expressed that the training had given him a better understanding of technology, particularly because the facilitator simplified the lessons. Ogwuegbu shared his aspiration to become a software designer and use technology to solve societal challenges.
Furthermore, Mrs Abosede Daudu, a parent, described the training as ‘wonderful’, appreciating AHI and the facilitators for providing the adolescents with the opportunity. Daudu expressed her pleasure that her daughter participated in the programme and praised the organisers and facilitators for their contributions to its success. She commended the emphasis on punctuality and discipline throughout the programme and expressed confidence that participants would use the knowledge acquired productively.
NAN reports that the initiative forms part of AHI’s broader commitment to adolescent development and empowerment through relevant knowledge and skills. The organisation’s programmes emphasize equipping young people to become healthy, productive, and active contributors to society.