Youths will shape future of technology in Nigeria – CVHub

 

Mr Austin Agbakor, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Computer Village Hub (CVHub), has expressed optimism that Nigerian youths would shape the future of technology in Nigeria.

Agbakor spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos at the end of the CVHub’s one month advanced programming training for youths.

He said that the training, which took place from Aug. 4 to Sept. 10, was contributing to developing a crop of youths who could help bridge the digital divide in the nation.

The chief executive said that the CVHub was providing access to digital skills training and empowering individuals to shape their future to make a positive difference in the world.

Agbakor said that the CVHub was on a mission to empower young Nigerians with coding skills.

According to him, the empowerment started in 2018, with the goal of making coding accessible and affordable for all.

He said that CVHub partnered with the Software Shop and David Olusegun Foundation to make the training happen.

‘”We believe in catching them young and teaching them how to be independent, create value and generate income.

“We are not just focused on having fun; we are focused on building a future where Nigerian youths can thrive.

“And it is working! CV Hub has many students who have gone on to work with top companies like Google, and some have even started their own businesses,” he said.

According to him, this year’s bootcamp is celebrating a major milestone as 10 students successfully completed the advanced programming training, and created animation.

“We are proud of their achievements and cannot wait to see their next achievements in life,’’ Agbakor stressed.

One of the beneficiaries, nine-year-old Rita Chukwudum, told NAN that the digital skill she acquired helped improve  her creative thinking and academic  performance.

Chukwudum said that within the period of the bootcamp, she developed a game app and a business website.

“I want to decorate a website for my dad and mum’s business, and make it grow,” she said.

Chukwudum said that the training had also empowered her to make an impact in the society by sharing digital knowledge with other children.

Also speaking with NAN, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary 2 Student, Treasure Chibuzo, said the training had helped her to develop a passion for technology.

Chibuzo said that she was determined to use her skills to make a positive impact and help other children to acquire  digital skills.

“I want to use my skills to help others and make a difference in my community,” she said.

According to Chibuzo, at the end of the bootcamp, there has been significant  improvement in her graphic and website design, among others.

An 18-year-old Student of Crescent University, Bashir Muhammed, said that his knowledge on back-end development had been perfected, adding that he was now confident of his ability to create complex websites.

Muhammed said that his education in University as a Computer Science student was still basic, but with the training at CV Hub he had acquired more knowledge.

 “I want to continue learning and developing my skills so that I can make  meaningful contribution to the tech industry,” he said.

He, however, pleaded with the Federal Government to encourage digital literacy by partnering and funding digital hubs as was being done in Lagos State.

Also, one of the instructors at the hub’s bootcamp, Emmanuel Ononobi, said the services rendered as an instructor was his way of giving back to the society.

Ononobi, a 200-level student of Medical Laboratory Science at the University of Lagos, said that he was giving back, having been a beneficiary of the CVHub training.

 “I want to help students understand and develop their skills so that they can achieve their goals.

“The government should organise and fund programmes like CVHub to provide more opportunities for young people to develop their skills and reach their full potential.

“By investing in digital literacy and skills development, we can create a brighter future for all,’’ he said.

NAN reports that CVHub4Africa is an online and offline learning community with a mission to create leaders through  digital training.

It has empowered about a million youths with free or subsidised digital skill acquisition. 

Source :NAN