Awka – No fewer than 1,000 youth from different walks of life in Anambra State will benefit from the Digital Entrepreneurship training programme organised by the state government.
The state Deputy Governor, Dr Nkem Okeke, made the disclosure at the inauguration of the maiden Anambra DigiPrenueur Week tagged `The Next Level’ in Awka on Monday.
Okeke said the programme was in line with Gov. Willie Obiano’s programme for the youths.
The deputy governor said that business had moved from archaic brick and mortar approach to modern information driven system.
He said that Obiano remained the most youth friendly governor with over 65 per cent of them as appointees of his government and some of the youngest commissioners in the country.
The deputy governor expressed the hope that with the training and subsequent mentorship, Anambra would raise the pool of entrepreneurs that would dictate the pace in the digital world.
In his remarks, Mr Ifeanyi Aniagor, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Youth Empowerment and Digital Entrepreneurship said that the programme was meant for youth including employed and unemployed graduates.
Aniagor said that it also included undergraduates and any other interested persons who wished to explore business opportunities available in the digital world.
He said that there were lots of opportunities for internet users to make good business but decried that the right attitude and environment had not been created for them to earn legitimately.
The governor’s aide said that the training was free with digital tools of over N2 million for distribution to outstanding trainees with mentoring of not less than six months.
“Through this DigiPrenueur campaign, we will teach people what and how to rightly use the digital space; it focuses on self development, value reorientation and digital skills development.
“Through creating digital entrepreneurs, we wish to eradicate unemployment, insecurity, end internet fraud also have youths who will dominate the age of digital economy,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Celestine Achi, Chief Executive of PR -wire said digital sector was a sure way to go in the post recession economy of Nigeria.
Achi, who is one of the resource persons at the training, commended Obiano for creating the enabling environment that encouraged people to seek and exploit opportunities in the Information Technology sector.
He said that his firm would empower successful trainers with about 500 units of digital tools.
In his remark, Stanley Uzochukwu, the Chief Executive Officer of Stanel World, Awka said it was time that youths were positioned to take their place in the information age.
Uzochukwu who is a major partner in the project urged participants to take the training seriously as leading social media, digital and information technology entrepreneurs have been invited to deliver hands-on practical lectures.
(NAN)
