Swedish-Nigerian firm, Global Wissen Consult, is collaborating with Nigerian education professionals to improve digital education and skills acquisition for Nigerian adolescents through digital programs.
At a stakeholder roundtable, Oscar Nwokeji, the firm’s co-founder, stated that the company’s mission was to alleviate digital illiteracy in Nigeria and digitize the Nigerian economy through the deployment of its products.
At a meeting held by the Swedish Embassy in Abuja, Nwokeji noted that Global Wissen Consult, a social development firm, was founded to bring digital literacy to adolescents using current learning methods.
He said that was why the firm organised such an event like this, where parents and university officials could meet and fashion a way forward.
He said that the event was to sensitise stakeholders about countless opportunities in the digital space, create awareness among guardians on the benefits of ensuring their children are digitally literate and skilled.
He said that from findings, Nigerians have digital skills with competent entrepreneurs, hence the development of the digital economy would not be a problem.
“The Swedish government is supporting the project 100 per cent. We are making things also attractive to other Swedish companies to come into Nigeria,” he said.
Ambassador of Sweden to Nigeria, Carl Michael Grans, lauded the initiative of the firm which he said would help Nigerians take advantage of digital space for skill development.
The ambassador believed that the operations of the enterprise would also increase the employability rate among young people.
“One of our main targets is to work together with universities to ensure that all students are digitally literate and equipped for the world, and for the future.
The envoy stressed the importance of skill acquisition, especially in the digital field to help the youth and address the problem of unemployment in the country.
“You need to reach out, and the pandemic has really shown us the solution of digital, so you need the skills to learn. And you need digital skills to get employed. It is really the future of Nigeria and Nigerian youths,” he said.
The ambassador hinted that the Swedish government had been trying to support its companies that are working in Nigeria, in many different ways and with the focus now shifting to the digital field.
“Global Wissen Consult is one of such companies, there others as well that we are trying to help them introduce their services,” he said.
Former Minister of Labour and a Corporate Lawyer, Adetokunbo Kayode, at the occasion, stressed the importance of skill acquisition to make a graduate employable.
Kayode, an International Arbitrator, said that skill was very important and very much more important than the certificate obtained at the age of 16 or 17 more important than the certificate we take around.
“I see that the theme of the programme is focusing on the opportunity in digital skill; it is very apt because that is what is driving the world.
“So, I like to say that having something with your certificate is very important.”
The Tax Expert said that there should be a change of narrative in the education community.
“All schools, higher or tertiary institutions, whether polytechnic or university must or should insist that every student acquire additional skill in addition with what they studied in school.
“I want to encourage parents that a certificate is not enough to make the student what he is supposed to be.
“It is discovered that many of the graduates we have today may not be employable unless they have something in addition to the knowledge acquired in school,” he said.
According to him, there is a skill divide and it is something that we need to bridge through digital knowledge.
Kayode said that “the skill acquisition is a must to acquire either before or after graduation.
“I challenge all our students to learn additional skills to become employable. If you have a degree certificate and you are not employable you will not be fulfilled.
“I want to urge the universities to include skill acquisition in their curriculum and I want the NUC to also work closely on this.
“Before you get to university or finish your programme, endeavour to acquire a skill, there is no need to hurry about the certificate,” he said.