FG, Microsoft Partner to Empower 100 Youth, Development Officers Nationwide

The Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) and the Digital Bridge Institute have commenced an entrepreneurship development capacity building programme for some selected  100 Youth and Youth Development officers in the country, as part of a broad Microsoft effort to increase access to technology and technology skills, the software giant in collaboration with`
Holding at the Digital Bridge Institute, Abuja, the training is coming under the auspices of Microsoft’s Public Institutions Capacity Development programme and is designed to train  participants on IT-based youth development programme, prepare them to become facilitators for entrepreneurship development as well as facilitate the development of a model youth development programme for the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
Speaking on the collaboration, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, minister of Youth Development, who was represented by Ms. Anne Ene-ita, permanent secretary of the Ministry, , said Public Private Partnership is fundamental in effectively advancing the use of ICT tools, while emphasizing that the training ties in with the Ministry’s mission to reduce unemployment in the country using ICT education as a catalyst.
He thanked Microsoft saying, “This cooperation is an example of a Private Public Partnership that can affect real and tangible change.  He acknowledged the fact that participants would surely benefit from the programme and similar initiatives  between his ministry and Microsoft. 
The curriculum focuses on ICT entrepreneurship, ICT businesses, setting and running of small scale enterprises, finance and procurement, sales and marketing, e-Mentoring, and ICT for small scale enterprises among others.
High ranking instructors were drawn from CITAD and they include Y. Z. Ya’u, executive director of CITAD and Mr. Rima Shawulu, secetrary general of ITAN, , an IT entrepreneur, Ahmed A. Yakasai, Enigneer Kamal Umar, Umar Farouq Uthman, a beneficiairy of DFID supported youth mentorship programme, and Isyaku Garba.
Y. Z. Ya'u introduced the class first to the prospects of ICT-based enterprises in Nigeria. He enumerated the various factors accelerating the demands of ICT goods and services in the country which could only be met by getting people to establish ICT-based enterprises.
Rima Shawulu facilitated the module on ICT-based businesses, taking the participants through various types of small scale IT business. In doing this, he also identified the requirements and the processes for setting up these businesses.
The module on Small Scale entrepreneurship was facilitated by Y. Z. Ya’u, taking the participants in a participatory manner through topics such as developing business idea, translating this idea into a business through developing a business plan, determination of business set up needs, sources of support, managing the business, communication and financial management, etc. 
The module on ICTs for small scale business focused on how young entrepreneurs could use ICTs in setting up and running their enterprises, using for financial management, administration, communication, marketing and business promotion. This was taken by Isyaku Garba.
Engineer Kamal Umar and Umar Farouq Uthman took the participants through various IT skills such as advanced internet uses, digital editing, virtual office space, etc so as to deepen the appreciation of the participants of the various skill sets needed for the new IT-based businesses.
Trainees also had opportunity to peruse the functions and workings of business and ICT regulatory agencies such as SMEDAN, NITDA, NCC and CPN to enable them know the specific requirements for setting up small scale enterprises in the sector.
Explaining the motivation for the programme, Dr. Jummai Umar-Ajijola, citizenship manager, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa said, “Nigerian youths have the potential to perform at optimum capacity but for a number of factors which include lack of proficiency.  With the right skills that this capacity training will afford participants, we are confident that they would be able to effectively deploy work tools that will enhance their performance.”  She enjoined participants to make the best use of the opportunity.
A trainee, Ms Helen Taghtegh from the Ministry of Youth, Benue State, commended Microsoft’s efforts at encouraging technology penetration.
As part of the project, the partners have developed an appropriate training content that would be made available to ministries and other stakeholders that are interested in running youth development programmes.
Participants for the 10 day event which commenced on the 3rd of May 2010, and will end on the 14th of May 2010, were drawn from the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the National Youth Council of Nigeria and other youth.  Nominations also came from all state Ministries in charge of youth development while some youth focused NGOs were also represented.
The training is one of the several partnership initiatives currently being run by Microsoft.  Another is the Partners in Learning under the Unlimited Potential Programme which aims to transform education, foster local innovation and create jobs and opportunities.  There is also the Youth Employability Programme which Microsoft has supported through a number of NGOs including CITAD, which have trained thousands of youths in ICT and life and employability skills over the last three years in the country.