Top Nigerian Youths Set to Gain ICT Skills in Huawei-Led Chinese Initiative

Participants of the ICTforChange program, which was backed by Huawei Technologies, stand to gain invaluable international experience in the rapidly advancing field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The highly-anticipated announcement from the Chinese tech giant reveals that the top 10 participants of the initiative are scheduled to receive ICT training in China.

Eligible Nigerian youths between the ages of 18 and 30 were able to register for this extraordinary opportunity last year. The program was developed for university and polytechnic graduates who majored in Electrical Electronics, Computer Science, Information and Communication Technology, Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, and other related disciplines.

ICTforChange, under the aegis of Huawei Technologies, is a skill enhancement initiative that was introduced based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement the tech firm had with the Nigerian federal government. The mission– to empower the young generation with ICT skills that can help give the economy a lift.

Entrants were assessed at Huawei’s training centers situated in Lagos and Abuja. The rigorous selection process is nearing to an end, with 40 participants successfully making it through to the semi-final round. While the training in China will be free of charge, the semi-finalists are expected to sort out their accommodation and transportation needs themselves.

Launched last year, this initiative is a part of President Mohammadu Buhari’s ambitious agenda to empower Nigeria’s youthful population in the technology sector and simultaneously stimulate job creation. The program drew enthusiastic participants from across all 36 states of the Nigerian federation, including the federal capital territory.

A spokesperson for the Chinese firm reiterated Huawei’s commitment to honoring their part of the agreement, saying, “Huawei has selected 10 students based on their performance and interview score to proceed for further training in China from September 4-17, 2017. The remaining 10 shall be selected upon completion of the program. The essence is to equip the students with practical knowledge and stimulate greater understanding and interest in ICT.”

Furthermore, the spokesperson disclosed that 1,345 Nigerian youths had previously benefited from training sessions held at the Huawei training centers in Abuja and Lagos. While providing ample training, it’s imperative for tech firms to go the extra mile, ensuring that participants gain applicable, hands-on experience post-training.

Lastly, it’s important to stress the necessity of continued support from the ICTforChange program beyond providing trainings. Previous programs like the NITDA’s annual scholarship, that trains 100 Nigerians each year in the UK, have often fallen short by failing to offer continued practical opportunities for participants, leaving them to grapple with the widespread unemployment challenge in the country.

With the ICTforChange program, Huawei Technologies has an opportunity to set a new benchmark in empowering Nigeria’s youth through ICT, a cornerstone for the future economic prosperity of the nation.