Nigerian youths have been encouraged to embrace Artificial Intelligence and practical digital skills as technology continues to reshape jobs and businesses across the world.
The call was made during a webinar organised by TechRise DTI, themed “The AI Advantage: Who Will Benefit More from AI Usage?”
The organisation said its initiative is designed to move young people beyond simply knowing about AI to actually using the technology to solve problems, build products and create economic opportunities.
Digital skills could open new opportunities
TechRise Director Emmanuel Brendan said investing in practical skills could have an impact beyond individual participants, particularly as youth unemployment remains a major challenge across Africa.
According to him, many young graduates enter the labour market without some of the practical digital skills increasingly demanded by employers.
The organisation’s goal, he said, is to give young Africans access to the skills, tools and opportunities needed to participate in the continent’s digital transformation.
AI may create jobs — and replace others
ICT expert and Technoville Nigeria CEO Richard Pepple told participants that simply having access to AI would not guarantee success.
He argued that people who combine AI tools with human expertise, industry knowledge and sound judgement would be better positioned to benefit from the technology.
Pepple also cited projections suggesting AI could create millions of new jobs globally while simultaneously displacing millions of existing roles by 2030.
Africa could face additional challenges because of factors including poor digital literacy, expensive data, limited access to AI tools and inadequate telecommunications infrastructure.
“Don’t just consume AI — build with it”
TechRise DTI Executive Director Nseabasi Udondian encouraged participants to look beyond using AI for basic everyday tasks.
She urged young Africans to apply the technology to real problems in sectors including healthcare, agriculture, education and the creative industries.
According to Udondian, TechRise has trained more than 1,000 young people across Nigeria and other parts of Africa in areas including AI, data, product design and cybersecurity.
“Don’t just consume AI tools, build with them, and use them to create jobs and businesses for Africa,” she said.
As AI adoption accelerates, the message from the programme was clear: young people who learn how to combine their existing abilities with emerging technology could be better positioned for the changing world of work.
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