By Els William
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has graduated 180 youths from its NDI Digitization Training Programme, reinforcing its push to deepen human capital development and expand digital competencies across Nigeria.
The close-out ceremony, held in Bayelsa State for participants drawn from the South-South geo-political zone, marked the culmination of an eight-week intensive training focused on equipping young Nigerians with practical digital and entrepreneurial skills.
Officials of the Board, led by Director of Corporate Services Abdumalik Halilu, presented certificates to the graduating trainees, many of whom described the programme as transformative for their career prospects.
Participants said the initiative significantly enhanced their digital literacy and technical capabilities, with training modules covering core computer science fundamentals, business management principles, and workplace communication.
“The programme has broadened our knowledge base and equipped us with skills that are directly applicable to both employment and entrepreneurship,” one of the trainees said at the ceremony.
Graduates highlighted improved competencies in customer relations, professional engagement, and enterprise management—areas increasingly viewed as critical for success in Nigeria’s evolving digital economy.
Some participants noted that beyond technical instruction, the programme offered practical insights into running and sustaining businesses, positioning them to explore self-employment opportunities.
Such interventions are becoming increasingly important as Nigeria grapples with youth unemployment and the need to align workforce skills with global technological trends.
The Board reiterated that the NDI Digitization Training Programme is part of its broader statutory mandate to promote local content development through targeted investments in human capital.
“This initiative underscores our commitment to youth empowerment and capacity building,” an NCDMB official said, adding that similar programmes would be expanded nationwide.
The agency emphasised that equipping young Nigerians with digital and entrepreneurial skills is essential to enhancing competitiveness and ensuring meaningful participation in the global economy.
Since its inception, the programme has impacted participants across the six geopolitical zones, reflecting a deliberate effort to ensure inclusivity and national reach.
Stakeholders note that sustained investment in such training schemes could help bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap while supporting broader economic diversification goals, particularly within the oil and gas value chain where the Board’s mandate is most pronounced.
With the latest cohort now certified, attention is now should be on tracking the long-term impact of beneficiaries in both employment and enterprise creation.