The in-country consultant for Youth Digital Engagement (YDE) project, ActionAid
Nigeria, Dr Terfa Abraham has called for digital literacy among youths to expand
their access to job opportunities across the country.
Abraham stated this yesterday in Abuja at ActionAid Nigeria’s Youth Digital
Engagement (YDE) report validation noting that the priority area for the YDE project
as determined from the data collected identifies employment as the major area
requiring intervention and engagement.
He said young people need to be involved in the design and implementation of
programmes that are meant for them would enhance awareness and expand access.
He said government effort to enhance access economic opportunities is constantly
been limited as it does not fully address gender needs or the needs of PWDs.
He also called for the need to empower the young females is also vital in creating
inclusive jobs and narrowing the Dominic exclusive gap.
He said that the age distribution of the data collected shows that young persons (35
years and less) account for 81.45% of the respondents, while elderly persons account
18.55%.
According to him, females accounted for 51% of the respondent while the proportion
of Male is 49% adding that PWDs account for 18% of respondents (1,104 out of
6,201).
He said the major medium of government programmes to the people during the
COVID-19 lockdown was through the various channels of National Social Investment
Programmes based in existing register of poor and vulnerable persons as recorded in
the National Social Register.
He said young people yearn for employment creation and access public services to be
more gender responsive.
Digital literacy for Youths will expand their access to job opportunities.
Also, the Country Director of ActionAid, Ene Obi who was represented by the
Head of Programme, ActionAid Nigeria, Suwaiba Yakubu said project is one
of the projects that is very key to ActionAid Nigeria for education to grow and
develop adding that the youth must be taken into consideration and taken
seriously.
She said the impact of COVID-19 can never be underestimated, and only those who are affected can
testify because he who wears the shoes knows where it pinches.
She also added that the research is also helping to shape out, how the youths can recover but recover
more innovatively through ICT, using the ICT to turnaround.
