The Minister of State for Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande has commended the launch of the Outsource to Nigeria Initiative (OTNI) by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
According to Olawande, the initiative would offer a great boost to the ongoing efforts to curb youth unemployment in the country through the soon-to-be launched Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA).
The Minister disclosed this in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital.
He said the Nigerian Youth Academy, initiated by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development is aimed at training youths in market driven skills that will empower them to contribute significantly to the economic development of the country
The Vice President during the launch in Gombe State, North-eastern Nigeria noted that the OTNI is a strategic initiative to redirect the talents and skills that abound in the country and to deliver millions of job opportunities.
“Today, we are not just presenting to you the Outsource to Nigeria Initiative (OTNI) with the aim of taking over the world; we present to you a lens to see the needs of the world, a bridge to interact with the world, and a vehicle to reach the world from the comfort of your offices and homes in Nigeria,” the Vice President said.
Speaking further on the launch which he described as “another huge step in the fight against youth unemployment,” the Minister said the OTNI would now offer a more extensive platform for the utilisation of the skills and talents that the NIYA would spring.
According to him, “What we are planning to do with the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYa) is to provide free training in all high-demand skill areas, and to also make the platform a meeting point for all the youths we train and employers who wish to engage their services. OTNI has just expanded the opportunities we hope to deliver with NiYA.”
Olawande, who said many youths in Nigeria would soon have no excuse to remain idle, emphasized that OTNI’s digital platform, WorkNation, with the objective of helping partners find, train and deploy talents, would greatly expand the reach and impact of NIYA.
“Collaboration is key in government business. So, I’m already envisaging a collaboration in which WorkNation serves as a sort of off taker for some of the youths we train in NiYA, thereby providing more extensive job openings beyond the academy,” the Minister added.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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