As part of the core investment mandate given to Odu’a Investment Company Limited by the six owner states on wealth creation and youth empowerment, the economic powerhouse of the Southwest has begun an intensive training of 5,000 youths drawn from all Southwest states on information and communication technology as well as the digital economy.
The ICT training which features Microsoft Nigeria and Software Business Solutions Consulting (SBSC) as technical partners, is one of the areas of dedicated investments being made by Odu’a Group to empower and create employment opportunities for the youths, to create multiplier economic effects in order to have a secured future for the youths in the region.
Speaking at the launch of the ICT program at the Ogun State Tech Hub in Abeokuta, Adewale Raji, Group Managing Director of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, stated that the mandate given from shareholders is to impact six Southwest states, namely, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti, in all sectors of the economy, especially in the area of youths development as regards ICT and digital economy.
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Raji, who spoke in Abeokuta in the company of Bimbo Ashiru, Director and Investment Committee Chairman, Odu’a Investment Company Limited, said, “Starting from our origin, you know we are owned by six Southwest states of Nigeria and in terms of mandate from shareholders, we are meant to impact the population of the Southwest.
“The youths are very fundamental and in our growth plan, ICT and the digital economy are very fundamental. We believe that an area like ICT which provides means of employment and livelihood to young men and women is very fundamental initiative that Odu’a Group should support, hence, this collaboration and partnership with SBSC to set up Abeokuta Tech Hub.
“From what we know in terms of the scope of what SBSC is doing, 5,000 youths in total figure ultimately, but this is going to be across the Southwest, so, this being the next office they are opening after Lagos shows the importance that is ascribed to Ogun State, and certainly we are looking forward to using the success of this centre to be able to move to other location within the Southwest.”
Ola Williams, Country Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, expressed readiness to support the program and expose youths to the basics of ICT and digital economy, saying: “for us at Microsoft, we are super excited to be part of what is happening today, we are grateful for the opportunity to be here, to be part of this initiative.
“We are showing commitment to be part of this initiative by making sure that we provide support and skills to expose the youths. There are lots of stories around Nigerian youths, leveraging on technology and ICT to achieve lots of great things and we must support our youths to achieve their goals.”
Meanwhile, Bimbo Ashiru, Director and Investment Committee Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, decried the negative and fraudulent uses of ICT by the Nigerian youths as he admonished youths not to engage in illicit usage of ICT, but to judiciously deploy their knowledge and skills to better the economy through digital applications.
