Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) are everywhere to be found in our daily lives and they are now a significant driver for both the economy and society at large, not to mention a significant growth engine with 6 million jobs created in 2011 alone*. ICT is one of the fastest growing industries while others are all undertaking a digital transformation, resulting in massive demand for
a highly qualified, tech-savvy workforce. This being said, in 2015, only a handful of schools are able to offer proper ICT curriculum and in Africa, the situation is even more alarming: the continent has the largest and youngest workforce in the world but yet less than 1% of children currently leave school with basic coding skills** . With the World Bank expecting 11 million youth to enter the African labor market every year over the next decade and knowing that digital skills will be the key to successful careers in the future, acting now is a must. Yes, it is our responsibility to equip future generations with the skill set they need to thrive in the 21st century workforce. Tomorrow’s analysts, social entrepreneurs, developers, architects, designers, engineers, virtual teachers, etc. need our help today to accelerate and nurture economic development in the fastest growing nation in Africa: Nigeria. In order to prevent the digital divide from becoming a digital skills divide and to improve Nigeria’s position in the globally competitive knowledge economy, we need to join forces and make high-level ICT teaching a number one priority within the Nigerian education systems. Not only will it allow companies in Africa to find the best local candidates for the thousands of qualified jobs they are currently struggling to fill, but ICT learning is also one of the most powerful ways to develop the collaboration, self-regulation and critical thinking skills young women and men need to sustain a successful career and cause unimaginable transformation in the Nigerian
economy. Everyone - from governments and educational institutions all the way to NGOs and corporations - has a role to play to make it happen. Join us as we continue to spark the creativity in the Nigerian youth.
