July 12, 2018

The World Bank on Thursday pledged to support Kaduna State Government efforts in equipping youth with digital skills to tap from the income generation potential of virtual economy.

Mr Rachid Benmessaoud, the World Bank Country Director, Nigeria, African Region made the pledged on Thursday through a video message played at the close of the three-day training of 900 youths on the use of digital platforms to earn income supported by the bank.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training tagged: “Click-On Kaduna” was one of the state’s initiatives to drive job creation.

The training was specifically designed to tackle unemployment while providing youth access to the virtual economy that allows for the exchange of virtual goods, currencies, digital labour and professional services for a corresponding fee.

He said that the training was first in the series of more training for Nigerian youth with a view to integrating them into the digital economy platforms for income generation.

Benmessaoud said that very soon the bank would organised a six months digital entrepreneurship training in Kaduna with focus on the youth.

He said that the gesture was to support the Kaduna State Government’s effort in equipping the youths with the needed information and communication technology skills to tap from employment opportunities in virtual economy.

According to him, the virtual economy holds unquantifiable employment opportunities and job creation for the huge unemployed youth in the country.

“It is apt, therefore, to improve the skills of the youth to tap from various opportunities presented by numerous online platforms for income generation.

“We will be doing this because we care about creating jobs for young people.”

He thanked the Kaduna State Government and other partners for making the three-day training a huge success.

Muhammad Abdullahi, the Commissioner, Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the skills acquired not only to earn income but create more jobs.

“We are taking the digital job seriously because it is the driver of development and the leading agents in job creation,“ Abdullahi said.

He thanked the World Bank, Rockefeller Foundation, Digital Naija and other partners who supported the training.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba encouraged the beneficiaries to link up with one another, share experiences and opportunities.

NAN reports that 900 youths from Kaduna, Kano, Plateau states and the Federal Capital Territory benefited from the training on how to utilise digital platforms to promote businesses and earn income.

They were also guided on how to set up shops on online and to network with local platforms.