Bamidele urges digital revolution to combat rising Youth Unemployment in Nigeria

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on Tuesday called for increased investment in digital technology and entrepreneurial training as key strategies to address youth unemployment in Nigeria.

Bamidele delivered the remarks during the 37th convocation lecture of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State, stressing that governments worldwide can no longer realistically provide white-collar jobs for all graduates from tertiary institutions.

In his lecture, titled “Entrepreneurship Development in the Digital Age: Leveraging Technology for Job Creation,” the senator highlighted the global technological revolution and the rise of digital economies.

He emphasised that countries must prioritise imparting innovative knowledge and technical skills to their youth if they hope to remain competitive.

“All over the world, it is no more realistic for Governments to provide white-collar jobs for all the young graduates from the universities, polytechnics, technical colleges and other tertiary institutions,” Bamidele said.

He added: “The contemporary trend is that governments are seriously looking for ways to prune down the cost of governance and are taking bold measures to replace humans with high-tech machines and artificial intelligence.

“The new wave of technological revolution and the attendant emergence of digital economies around the globe is a pointer to the fact that nations that are determined to survive must prioritise the impartation of innovative knowledge and technical skills in their young people.

“You will agree with me that this is the secret and the real strength of the Asian tigers for which the rest of the world have continued to adore them today.

“To attain a similar feat in Nigeria, nay Africa, our policy makers and state actors must prioritize entrepreneurship training by ensuring that our educational curricular from the primary to tertiary levels incorporate the development of technical skills, creative innovation, digital education, problem-solving skills, the impartation of managerial capacity as well as interpersonal relationship development.

“This is the future we all envisage, this is the future we look forward to, and Nigeria, the supposed giant of Africa, cannot afford to be left behind.”

Bamidele also reflected on the founding vision of Yaba College of Technology, established as Nigeria’s first tertiary institution to provide full-time and part-time training in technology, applied sciences, commerce and management, agricultural production, distribution, and research.

He stated that the college’s continued focus on technology, creative innovation, and entrepreneurship training is a testament to the foresight of its founding leaders.

Calling on the private sector to play a more active role, Bamidele urged businesses to support mentorship programmes, create peer communities, and facilitate market access for upcoming entrepreneurs.

“Private sector actors must focus on mentorship and networking by pairing upcoming entrepreneurs with experienced ones; creating peer communities; facilitating access to markets,” he said.