Key Points
- Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and VFS Global have trained 100 young Nigerians in artificial intelligence.
- The programme forms part of NECA’s employability initiative aimed at reducing youth unemployment through market-relevant skills.
- Participants developed four AI-powered solutions targeting identity verification, visa processing and security.
- Outstanding graduates received cash prizes, laptops and internship opportunities with VFS Global.
- NECA plans to showcase the innovations to investors and industry stakeholders later this year.
Main Story
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), in partnership with VFS Global, has trained 100 young Nigerians in artificial intelligence (AI) as part of efforts to equip them with market-ready digital skills and reduce unemployment.
Speaking at the graduation and prize-giving ceremony in Lagos, the Director-General of NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said the initiative was part of the association’s broader employability project designed to prepare young Nigerians for the evolving demands of the labour market.
According to Oyerinde, the AI programme complements the ongoing NECA-Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Technical Skills Development Project by providing participants with practical knowledge in emerging technologies.
He disclosed that the trainees developed four market-ready AI solutions during the programme, demonstrating the practical application of the skills acquired.
Among the innovations are passport identification solutions, AI-powered passport photograph applications for visa processing, and optical number plate recognition systems designed to enhance security in residential estates and business environments.
Oyerinde said the next phase of the initiative would focus on refining the products and exposing them to investors, potential users and industry stakeholders.
He added that the graduates would present their innovations during the TLSP Stakeholders’ Engagement scheduled to hold in Abuja later this year.
The NECA Director-General said the programme was designed to empower participants to become entrepreneurs capable of creating businesses and generating employment opportunities rather than relying solely on paid jobs.
He noted that, in addition to the training, participants received stipends and laptops to support the commercialisation of their ideas and strengthen their transition into the technology ecosystem.
Oyerinde also revealed that the AI programme marked the first collaboration between NECA and VFS Global, expressing optimism that the partnership would continue through future editions.
At the ceremony, the best graduating participant received a ₦500,000 cash prize, while the first and second runners-up received ₦300,000 and ₦200,000, respectively.
The outstanding graduates were also presented with laptops and offered internship opportunities with VFS Global to further develop their professional experience.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Akeem Dauda, called for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to expand technology-driven skills development programmes for young Nigerians.
Dauda, whose local government partnered with NECA for the initiative, said some of the beneficiaries were selected from the council area.
He disclosed that the local government had also enrolled more than 50 secondary school students in its holiday job scheme in collaboration with NECA, with participants expected to receive stipends during the two-month programme.
According to him, the council is equally strengthening vocational education through its vocational training centre, which currently has more than 50 trainees.
The Issues
Nigeria continues to grapple with high youth unemployment despite a growing digital economy. As businesses increasingly adopt emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the demand for specialised digital skills is rising faster than the supply of qualified talent.
Public-private partnerships like the NECA-VFS Global initiative are increasingly viewed as critical interventions for closing the skills gap, promoting entrepreneurship and improving youth employability.
What’s Being Said
Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde
“It is part of our employability project of equipping young Nigerians with relevant market-ready skills.”
Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde
“Our goal is to strategically reduce unemployment significantly in this country.”
Akeem Dauda
“We are investing a lot in our youths because they are the future, and we have no choice but to continue supporting them.”
What’s Next
The graduates will refine their AI solutions ahead of the TLSP Stakeholders’ Engagement in Abuja, where they are expected to pitch their innovations to industry stakeholders, investors and potential users.
NECA and VFS Global also plan to sustain the initiative through future editions as part of efforts to build a pipeline of digitally skilled entrepreneurs and technology professionals.
Bottom Line
The collaboration between NECA and VFS Global reflects the growing role of private-sector partnerships in addressing Nigeria’s unemployment challenge. By combining AI training with entrepreneurship support, funding and internship opportunities, the initiative aims to prepare young Nigerians for opportunities in the digital economy while fostering innovation and job creation.
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