Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed optimism that Nigeria can overtake India in the market for technology and innovation talent.

The Nigerian Vice President made the statement on Tuesday during a flag-off ceremony of Google digital training for youth empowerment in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

He said the administration would continue to explore creative ways at empowering Nigerian youths.

“This would mean that we would be building more local capacity to build, assemble hardware and to write innovative programmes.

“We will also be focusing on technology for media and entertainment,” he said.

While the empowerment initiative launched is targeting 400,000 Nigerian youths at a start, Professor Osinbajo said the government was determined to give every opportunity to younger generation to ensure they excel with the use of modern technology.

He hinted that a special initiative on innovative technology and start-ups, as well as presentation of prospective participants had already been done in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

To achieve this, the Vice President stated that there were many opportunities, as practically anything could be learned online today.

He added that there were also important opportunities for those in the performing and film arts, which go beyond actual performing to effective management of their talents, programmes and projects.

On her part, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefilure, said that the programme was part of the government’s Sustainable Development Goals’ commitment.

She explained that it would be replicated in every state to lift Nigerian youths from poverty.

Other top government officials at the event – the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, and Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige – harped on the importance of the training to youth development.

They promised to key into the move for positive development of the youths.

The theme of the event was “Diversifying the Nigerian Economy: Enabling Youth through Digital Skills Training”.

•Text courtesy of Channels TV. Photo shows Vice President Osinbajo.

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