In answering the question of youth joblessness in the country, Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), has announced a partnership with US-based SBTS Group to create at least 50,000 direct and indirect jobs for the citizens.
The partnership will come on stream this February, it will also involve boosting ICT skills of over five million youths in the country.
According to President/CEO DBI, Daser David, both organisations settled for the empowerment programme to equip Nigerian youths with essential digital skills, to enable them compete in the global job market.
Recall that though Nigeria’s digital economy is rapidly expanding, industries such as financial services, healthcare, entertainment, transportation, and ICT have been observed to be witnessing unprecedented job creation.
This is in addition to a significant skills gap in existence, with millions of digital and ICT-related jobs going unfilled due to a shortage of qualified professionals.
David explained that this collaboration is a direct effort to bridge this gap by providing advanced training in digital literacy, coding, and other high-demand skills in the labour and employment market.
He noted that it was in alignment with the Federal Government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030) and the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative led by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy under the Minister, Dr. Bosun Tijani.
According to DBI Boss, over five million Nigerian youths skills will be upscaled by 2030, with about 50,000 direct and indirect jobs within a short time.
Buttressing the importance of the initiative he said, “Nigerian youth are the catalyst for transforming our nation’s economic future. To pivot from an agriculture-dependent economy to a thriving digital landscape, they require targeted IT upskilling.
This initiative bridges opportunity gaps by providing after-school programs in digital literacy and vocational training for underserved youth, empowering them to compete in a tech-driven job market and fuelling inclusive economic growth.”
He said the collaboration would contribute to the government’s broader mission of fostering decent, productive, and freely chosen employment opportunities for young people, while supporting President Bola Tinubu’s national development agenda.
He said, “The partnership between DBI and SBTS is a direct response to Nigeria’s digital skills deficit, focusing on job creation and economic empowerment. Each DBI campus will host a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) center, designed to create thousands of job opportunities for young Nigerians, enabling them to secure both local and remote employment in the global digital economy.”
Corroborating DBI Chief Executive, Evelyn Lewis, CEO of SBTS Group, the US partner re-affirmed the company’s commitment to empowering Nigerian youth, saying, “despite the negativity and sense of hopelessness often portrayed, there are abundant opportunities for youth in Nigeria.
We are excited to collaborate with DBI in advancing the Federal Government’s agenda to train and equip unemployed youth with digital skills and comprehensive ICT knowledge, empowering them for a brighter future.”
