Bamidele Calls For Greater Investment In Digital Technology For Job Creation

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele on Tuesday called for greater investment in digital technology and entrepreneurial training as measures to address youth unemployment in the country.

Bamidele made this case at the 37th convocation lecture of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State, pointing out that across the globe, it was no longer realistic for governments to provide white-collar jobs for graduates from higher institutions.

In his lecture titled “Entrepreneurship Development in the Digital Age Leveraging Technology for Job Creation,” Bamidele highlighted technological revolution and the emergence of digital economies worldwide.

He emphasised that countries seeking to survive should prioritise the importation of innovative knowledge and tech skills for the advantage of their people, especially the youth population.

He said: “All over the world, it is no more realistic for Governments to provide white collar jobs for all the young graduates from the universities, polytechnics, technical colleges and other tertiary institutions.

“The contemporary trend is that governments are seriously looking for ways to prune down the cost of governance and are taking bold measures to replace humans with high tech machines and artificial intelligence.

“The new wave of technological revolution and the attendant emergence of digital economies around the globe is a pointer to the fact that nations that are determined to survive must prioritise the impartation of innovative knowledge and technical skills in their young people.

“You will agree with me that this is the secret and the real strength of the Asian tigers for which the rest of the world have continued to adore them today.

“To attain a similar feat in Nigeria, nay Africa, our policy makers and state actors must prioritize entrepreneurship training by ensuring that our educational curricular from the primary to tertiary levels incorporate the development of technical skills, creative innovation, digital education, problem-solving skills, the impartation of managerial capacity as well as interpersonal relationship development.

“This is the future we all envisage, this is the future we look forward to, and Nigeria, the supposed giant of Africa, cannot afford to be left behind.”

Bamidele recalled that the essence of establishing Yaba College of Technology as the first tertiary institution in the country was to provide full time and part time training in technology, applied science, commerce and management, agricultural production and distribution; and research.

He stated that the priority, which the institution attached to the development of technology, creative innovation and entrepreneurship training, cannot be over emphasised.

The senate leader added that it is an eloquent testimony to the depth of the vision of past leaders who played a vital role in its establishment.

He, therefore, called on the private sector to focus on mentorship and networking by pairing upcoming entrepreneurs with experienced ones; creating peer communities; facilitating access to markets.

Directorate of Media and Public Affairs,
Office of the Senate Leader,
The Senate (The Red Chamber),
Federal Republic of Nigeria.