NGO equips Lagos youths with digital skills

An NGO, United Way Greater Nigeria (UWGN), has trained 43 youths on digital skills to bridge the unemployment and under-employment gap among Nigerian youths.

Speaking at the graduation of the trainees in Lagos on Thursday, the Programme Manager, UWGN, Mr Olayemi Fasakin, expressed the hope that they would leverage the training to meet the increasing demand for digital skills.

Fasakin noted that the training tagged: ‘Skills to Employment Programme (STEP)’, was part of the organisation’s humanitarian initiatives, aimed at enhancing the financial stability of individuals in various communities.

He said that UWGN’s intervention centred on the health, education and financial stability of individuals to bring about meaningful development to Nigerians and their communities.

According to him, the STEP programme, targeted at beneficiaries aged 18 to 30, had 24 female and 19 male graduates.

Fasakin said that the training was held for three months, including a-four week internship, adding that participants were trained on digital marketing, front-end web development and graphics design.

Mr Olayemi Fasakin, Programme Manager, United Way Greater Nigeria (UWGN), presenting certificate of participation to a graduand during the UWGN Skills to Employment Programme in Lagos

“A total of 27 of the participants were trained as digital marketers, eight as front-end web developers and the remaining eight as graphics designers.

“With the training, I believe the youth should be able to stand on their own and also impact their knowledge to others,” he said.

Fasakin commended all the implementing partners involved in the success of the programme for driving social impact in the lives of the youth.

According to him, the supporting partners are: Nerdy Eye, WAVE Academies, Educate Nigeria, The Workplace Centre, JASS Academy and Sweet Sensation.

Fasakin said that UWGN would expand subsequent cohorts of the programme to reach more youths, stressing that donors were being identified for the purpose.