Mr Ebere Anaba, Anambra State Coordinator, NDE, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Awka, that the agency has shifted fron its traditional apprenticeship and agricultural training into information and communication technology (ICT)-based initiatives.
He said the move aligns with global trends and was to prepare young Nigerians for modern job markets.
“NDE was established in 1986 to combat rising youth unemployment and social unrest and to provide employable and entrepreneurial skills.
“Since inception, NDE has trained over 10 million Nigerians across various vocational fields.
“Now the world has gone digital and we must train our youths for digital opportunities in areas such as data processing, web design, digital marketing and coding,” he said.
Anaba urged Nigerian youths to embrace digital skills instead of waiting for government jobs to become employable and self-reliant.
“These jobs are not only in offices, they are in your hands and your devices.
“NDE is here to guide and train you. Once you are determined, opportunities will come,” he noted.
Anaba, however, identified poor electricity, insecurity, limited internet access and inadequate startup capital as major challenges.
“Even when youths want to learn online, they can not afford data or laptops.
“I call for government and private sector collaboration to expand opportunities and subsidise access to digital tools,” the NDE coordinator said.
He also called for reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to incorporate mandatory digital and entrepreneurial training.
“Imagine every corps member leaving NYSC as a certified web designer, data analyst or digital marketer. That is the future Nigeria needs,” Anaba said.
According to him, the NDE’s digital transformation under its Director-General, Mr Silas Agara, aims to make Nigerian youths more employable in a fast-changing global economy.
