Abuja: The Young Innovators of Nigeria (YIN) has identified stronger investment in young people, digital literacy, quality education, and home-grown technology as key drivers of Nigeria’s economic transformation. The Executive Director of YIN, Joy Buba, shared these insights during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja to commemorate International Youth Day.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the theme for the event was ‘Different Contexts, Same Aspirations.’ Buba explained that the theme highlighted the reality that young people, irrespective of their social, economic, cultural, or geographical backgrounds, share common aspirations for quality education, opportunities, innovation, and a better future. She emphasized that Nigeria should start viewing its young population not just as beneficiaries of development, but as active contributors to the nation’s economic and technological future.
Buba stated, “Young people may come from different contexts, but our aspirations are fundamentally the same. We want access to quality education, opportunities, technology, decent livelihoods, and the freedom to build a better future. Our responsibility is to create an ecosystem where those aspirations can become reality.” She highlighted the necessity of extending Nigeria’s digital transformation to rural and underserved communities, asserting that geographic location should not dictate access to technology.
“We cannot talk about a digital future for Nigeria when a young person in a rural community does not have access to the same digital opportunities as someone in Abuja, Lagos, or any other major city. Digital literacy must reach the grassroots,” Buba stressed. She noted that YIN is actively working to connect youths to opportunities in Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital skills, entrepreneurship, education, and innovation, while supporting youth-led solutions in agriculture, healthcare, fintech, renewable energy, education, and climate technology.
Buba urged the government to move beyond traditional job creation and focus on supporting young innovators who are already developing technology-driven solutions to local challenges. “My expectation from the government is that we move beyond simply creating job opportunities for young people. We need to invest in the young innovators who are already building,” she said. Buba emphasized that Nigeria has young people developing AI-powered solutions that can address challenges across healthcare, agriculture, education, finance, climate, and other critical sectors.
She asserted that investment in young innovators should be viewed as an economic development strategy, not just a youth development program. “When we build our own AI-powered solutions locally, we are building intellectual property, reducing dependence on expensive imported technologies, creating local industries, and generating new jobs,” Buba explained. She believes that Nigeria has the talent and market to become a producer of technology and AI solutions rather than remain primarily a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.
Buba called on government at all levels to strengthen support for research and development, innovation funding, digital education, technology infrastructure, and policies that enable young innovators to develop and commercialize solutions. She further advocated stronger collaboration among the federal and state governments, private sector, universities, investors, development partners, and youth-led organizations to create a sustainable environment for youth innovation.
“As Nigeria joins the global community in celebrating International Youth Day, YIN is reaffirming its commitment to building an innovation ecosystem that ensures young people are empowered to actively design, build, and lead that future. Our young people are ready. The question is whether we will give them the ecosystem they need to build. Africa is not waiting for the future. Africa is building it and Nigeria must be at the center of that transformation,” Buba stated.
NAN reports that YIN is a youth-focused innovation ecosystem committed to empowering young Nigerians through technology, digital skills, education, entrepreneurship, and innovation.