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CITAD Empowers 80 Jigawa Youths With ICT and Soft Skills Training

By: Ahmed Aminu, Dutse

CITAD Empowers 80 Jigawa Youths with ICT and Soft Skills Training to Tackle Unemployment

British Council-Funded Initiative Targets Youth Unemployment

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has launched a comprehensive skills development program for 80 young people in Jigawa State, including Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs). The training initiative focuses on ICT and essential soft skills development as part of efforts to combat Nigeria’s growing youth unemployment crisis.

Program Overview and Objectives

Conducted under the Youth Sustainable Enterprise Challenge (YSEC) Programme, the initiative receives funding from the British Council with technical support from King’s Trust International through CITAD. The training commenced on Friday in Dutse, marking a significant step toward youth empowerment in northern Nigeria.

CITAD officials addressing trainees

Isah Garba, CITAD’s Senior Programme Officer, explained that YSEC forms part of the British Council’s broader Youth Connect Global Programme. The initiative aims to create positive pathways for young Nigerians through three key pillars: entrepreneurship development, employability enhancement, and active citizenship promotion.

Addressing Nigeria’s Youth Unemployment Crisis

Garba identified several critical factors contributing to Nigeria’s alarming youth unemployment rates, which currently stand among the highest in Africa. These include:

Inadequate skills training and development opportunities
Incomplete formal education among many youths
Lack of essential informal skills needed for employment or entrepreneurship

Programme Structure and Target Beneficiaries

The YSEC programme specifically targets 80 young Jigawa residents aged 18-35, with special consideration given to women and persons living with disabilities. The comprehensive curriculum covers:

Digital entrepreneurship: Teaching participants to establish and grow online businesses
ICT skills development: Building technical competencies for the digital economy
Marketing strategies: Equipping youths with modern promotional techniques
Essential soft skills: Enhancing communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities

Long-Term Economic Impact

Garba emphasized the programme’s potential to transform participants from unemployed youths into either employable professionals or successful entrepreneurs. “By focusing on digital entrepreneurship, we’re preparing these young people to thrive in the rapidly evolving online marketplace,” he noted.

The initiative aims to create a ripple effect in Jigawa’s economy by:

Stimulating new business creation
Generating employment opportunities
Reducing poverty levels
Promoting inclusive economic growth

Commitment to Inclusive Development

The programme’s deliberate inclusion of women and persons with disabilities demonstrates CITAD’s commitment to equitable development. This approach ensures traditionally marginalized groups gain access to skills that can transform their economic prospects.

As Nigeria continues grappling with youth unemployment exceeding 40%, initiatives like YSEC offer hope for meaningful change. The Jigawa training represents a model that could potentially scale across other northern states facing similar challenges.

For more information about CITAD’s youth empowerment programmes, visit the original source.