No fewer than 95 youths in Kano state have been trained in digital entrepreneurship skills with the focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence and digital applications in agro-production, marketing, and value-chain production.
The initiative is aimed at addressing youth unemployment, promoting self-reliance and boosting agricultural production in the state.
The youths who were trained by the London Academy Business School(LABS), University of Sunderland, UK, in partnership with the AA Zaura Foundation International were awarded a diploma certificate at the weekend in Kano.
Speaking during their graduation ceremony, founder of AA Zaura Foundation International, Abdulsalam Abdulkarim said, the program would enable youth to create opportunities instead of waiting for them.
He explained that, the initiative tends to empower graduates to build viable agri-tech businesses, attract investment, and create jobs while utilizing the digital tools to transform agriculture, scaleup productivity and solve real-world challenges.
“The goal is to lead agriculture from soil to screen and connect local markets to the global marketplace,” he stated.
He however urged the government to provide an enabling environment through policies, investments, mentorship, and infrastructure to be able to integrate the youths into a larger value chains to drive Nigeria’s agricultural and technological entrepreneurship rebirth.
While restating the foundation’s commitment to youths empowerment and fostering inclusive prosperity, Abdulkarim urged the graduands to judiciously used the knowledge acquired to lead and feed communities digitally for sustainable development.
Speaking earlier, the country director of LABS, Dr. Abdullahi Usman, noted that with the nature of how business has changed and gone digital, there is the need for training on that aspect for more gains.
He highlighted that, the concept of Artificial intelligence(AI) and digital entrepreneurship training is the first of it kind which is carefully designed to meet the needs of entrepreneurs for a change of mindset to succeed.
While appreciating the LABS, the federal ministry of education and the National Board for Technical Education(NBTE) for their supports, he however noted that the training was all encompassing with hands on practical trainings.
He added that the certificate is accepted nationally and also in the UK, which can be used to earn a decree program.
