Group trains 1,500 North-Central youths as Kwara pledges start-up support

A group, under the aegis of Kwarabuild, has trained 1,500 youths on technological advancement to make them self-reliant.

BusinessDay reports that the training has the youths in attendance to tap from the knowledge of entrepreneurs who are already excelling in various fields of human endeavours.

Speaking at the 7th edition of the Kwarabuild Tech Conference, marking the conclusion of the three-day event held in Ilorin, Ibraheem Zulkifli, Co-Founder, Kwarabuild, said no fewer than 1,500 youths from the North Central region and beyond participated in the two-day pre-conference workshop, adding that the training was aimed at fostering technological self-reliance and economic empowerment.

He underscored the importance of the conference themed, “Future Forward: Addressing Local and Global Challenges Through Collaborative Innovation”, saying: “Our goal is to use this platform to uncover hidden talents among these participants, equip them with the tools to achieve self-dependence, establish partnerships, and inspire future tech innovations.”

He advocated for greater collaboration with the State Government and key stakeholders to provide easy access to resources for youths that are eager to avoid poverty and unemployment.

Zulkifli explained that participants were trained on identifying and solving various technological challenges during the workshop, just as he commended the State Government for creating an enabling environment for youth development, saying “Kwara State has never experienced this level of support before. We are truly grateful,”.

Kehinde Kamaldeen, Also Co-Founder of Kwarabuild, described the workshop as a hub for collaboration among innovators, startups, and thought leaders, adding that the event served as a springboard for new ideas and partnerships within and beyond Kwara State.

Adeola Olaleye, an Abuja-based entrepreneur and also co-founder, said, “our platform provides an avenue for youth to discover and harness their talents.”

Panel discussions at the event featured experts including; Taofik Abdulkareem, an engineer from the Plat Technology Limited; Temi Kolawole, an expert in tech, from the Ilorin Innovation Hub and Yahya Olushola Gegele of Premium Blue Economy Innovation and Investment Limited, enlightened participants on essence of exploring opportunities in technology, agriculture, and commerce.

Temi Kolawole, Managing Director of the Ilorin Innovation Hub, pointed out that there were lots of potentials in the tech ecosystem that must be explored by the youths.