Minister for Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande received a delegation from the Digital Learning Network (DLN). The team, led by Mr. Thomas Larmena pledged to work with the Ministry of Youth Development to accelerate access to digital learning and opportunities for Nigerian youth. The Head of the DLN delegation, Mr Larmena highlighted the essence of the visit, stating that his organization is committed to supporting groundbreaking initiatives aimed to empowering Nigerian youth, especially in the area of digital skills and access to digital resources.Pledging the DLN cooperation, Mr. Larmena said his company was ready to distribute digital gadgets to youths and also support the establishment of smart cities.“We want to join hands in promoting youth empowerment, training and opportunities for Nigerian youth. To achieve this, we will give room for rapid deployment of technologies and learning resources to young Nigerians who are actively learning on the Nigerian Youth Academy,” Mr. Larmena asserted. In response, the Minister assured the visiting team of his support and reaffirmed his commitment to youth empowerment, capacity building, and youth engagement. He spoke extensively about the various initiatives of the Tinubu administration, especially those focused on youth development. “The ‘One Youth , Two Skills’ mantra of the Nigerian Youth Academy is a testament to the efforts of President Bola Tinubu to ensure that no youth remains unskilled. We want a country where everyone is employable and gainfully employed,” Olawande said. The Minister also implored the team to consider establishing the smart cities in rural areas in order to ensure that the informal youth are not left behind. The Minister concluded by reaffirming the readiness of the government to collaborate with organisations like the DLN to provide all the necessary support to ensure that the ‘smart city’ project and all other youth-focused initiatives commence in earnest.
