ISRAEL ONYEKWERE
The growth potential of the Southeast digital economy presents an opportunity for tackling the youth employment challenge, says Mr. Kingsley Adonu, the founder/Chairman, S Mobile Group.
According to Mr. Adonu, while millions of jobs requiring advanced digital skills will be created in the coming decade, reports suggest a shortfall of skilled workers to fill these jobs.
He said that while young people are often considered “digital natives”, the reality is that the majority do not possess job-relevant digital skills required for present and future workplace.
The serial entrepreneur who recently ventured into tech hub development in Enugu, expressed his readiness to work with relevant authorities in the zone to discourage the youth from engaging in crime.
In his words: “The digital economy is rapidly transforming the employment landscape across industries, including financial services, health, entertainment, transportation, entertainment, energy, governance and of course, information and communication technologies (ICT).
Millions of jobs requiring advanced digital skills will be created in the coming decade, but many reports are projecting a shortfall of skilled workers to fill these jobs.
“While young people are often considered “digital natives”, the reality is that the majority do not possess job-relevant digital skills. In particular, jobs requiring coding and other advanced ICT skills are going unfilled. These and more are what we set out to address through S Mobile Tech Hub, as a platform to lend support to the vision of His Excellency, Governor (Dr.) Peter Mbah, the Executive Governor of Enugu State. The Governor has as vision to fight to poverty to a standstill and relevant digital skills for our youth is one of the ways to achieve this.
He said that the goal is to equip five million young people with digital skills in the Southeast starting with Enugu – both basic and advanced – by 2030.
Mr. Adonu said this will be achieved by mainstreaming digital skills into S Mobile Tech Hub’s curricula, establishing comprehensive on-the-job training systems and mobilizing job creators in the public and private sector to employ young people in digital-centric jobs.
“There will also be a strong focus on fostering youth-led digital entrepreneurship in the Southeast Nigeria,” he said.
