By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has emphasized the need for effective policies to drive youth empowerment in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Umera Boost 3.0 Conference in Ibadan, Ogundoyin noted that Nigeria’s large youth population, accounting for 60 percent of the nation, presents opportunities for growth.
The Umera Boost 3.0 organized by Mrs. Olamide Alao-Akala was held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
The Speaker stressed that policymakers must focus on enhancing entrepreneurial and innovative skills to address youth unemployment.
He identified various areas where Nigerian youths can leverage entrepreneurial and innovative skills to include agricultural entrepreneurship, digital economy, renewable energy, creative industry, manufacturing and processing, education and training and soft skills among others.
To achieve this, Ogundoyin advocated for effective government policies, vocational training, entrepreneurship education, regular policy reviews, increased funding, public-private partnerships, and youth participation in policy-making.
He stressed the need for collective efforts to empower Nigerian youths through entrepreneurship and innovation, urging stakeholders to work together to create an enabling environment for youth growth and national development.
