Over one thousand Nigerian youths across the FCT are set to be trained and equipped with advanced digital skills that will help them compete in the global marketplace, following a new partnership aimed at expanding digital opportunities for young people. The initiative aims to initially train 1,000 youths over the next two to three years, creating what organisers describe as a ripple effect of economic empowerment and community development.
This comes after the Friends of Nigeria, a diaspora-based organisation, and the Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Abuja on the Diaspora-Supported Computer Literacy Digital Skills Programme. Both organisations have set an ambitious target to reach 30 million Nigerian youths by 2030 through future expansions of the programme. Photo: URNI
John Okoro, the co-founder of Friends of Nigeria, which has offices across Europe, explained that the partnership signals a shift from the usual form of diaspora engagement. He said the goal is to support Nigeria’s development in a more hands-on and transformative way.
“We want to take it a complete quarter further to also be those working actively with partners on the ground towards Nigeria’s progress. We’re very pleased to have a visionary organisation that is not about talking but about doing, about inspiring change, and leading that change,” he said.
According to him, the digital skills programme will focus on practical and advanced computer literacy, extending beyond basic knowledge to cover fields such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. He added that technology has removed traditional barriers and now allows Nigerian youths to access global opportunities without leaving the country.
“The world is flat,” he noted, referencing author Thomas Friedman. “The borders do not exist any longer for digital skills. Our vision is to have our youths attract global opportunities, empowering them to make better decisions towards the progress of their community.”
Another co-founder of Friends of Nigeria, Abiodun Odunuga, said the organisation wants to move beyond remittances and instead share knowledge that can open doors for young Nigerians. “Beyond just sending money, I think something that cannot be overemphasised is sending knowledge, because knowledge can be traded for anything,” he said.
He referenced India’s progress in business process outsourcing as proof that a nation’s youthful population can become an economic tool when properly engaged. He warned that when young people are not productively involved, their potential can become a burden. “The goal is to leverage this partnership to allow young people to become global players, not just job seekers, but job creators,” he said. He also commended the Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative for understanding local challenges and expressed confidence in the outcomes of the partnership.
Responding, the lead strategist of the Unveiling and Rebranding Nigeria Initiative, Obiageri Ndulue, described the partnership as an important step toward turning Nigeria’s human potential into impactful achievements. “We want to see how we can translate ourselves from low-cost to very high-cost. We started as a group of young people who wanted to be the travellers, to go get knowledge and come back to equip the team inwardly. We want our accolades to come from the lives that will be changed,” she said.
She noted that the long-term ambition of the Initiative is to impact over 30 million young Nigerians through future programmes. According to her, Friends of Nigeria has already donated 38 laptops to support the first phase of the project.
“We are starting with 1,000 because we want to give them quality results. This is a seed. We want to plant it well, nurture it, and let it grow so that its success becomes the proof that attracts more partners,” she said.
She explained that the strategy includes a train-the-trainer model to ensure that beneficiaries can pass on their knowledge to others, expanding the reach of the programme. The pilot phase will be monitored closely and refined to ensure it produces real outcomes.
“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 to put out there. By focusing on this quality of impact, we are not just training youths; we are actively rebuilding the image of Nigeria from the ground up,” she added.
