Nigeria’s Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima has stated that the federal government plans to create two million digital jobs yearly as part of efforts to ensure young Nigerians partake fully in the fourth industrial revolution.
The Vice President stated this during an interview on Arise TV on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
According to him, Africa’s young population presents a unique advantage to the continent in the ongoing technological revolution concerning AI and the Internet.
He noted that in the future, Africa led by Nigeria will become the global outsourcing capital as the shortage of workers becomes prevalent all over Europe, America, and even Asia.
He stated, “We are in a unique position. 230 million people 75% are below the age of 30 and are very much at home with digital technology. We can take advantage of the digital revolution and rightfully take our place in the comity of nations”
“The present administration is poised to take advantage of this. There is the $618 million I-DICE program whereby we want to create two million digital jobs every year”
The Vice President further highlighted the potential of digital technology and the global outsourcing industry in attracting foreign capital using India as a reference point.
He noted that the highest Nigeria has ever derived from crude oil was $35 billion in 2011 during the administration of President Jonathan while India is poised to receive around $100 billion in 2024 from outsourcing alone.
Sen. Shettima has emphasized that Nigeria’s presence in Davos is to interact and collaborate with other countries on a mutually beneficial position and not to beg for alms.
He stated that contrary to popular opinion, the African continent is not poor but rather a rich resource capital for the world.
In allaying the fears of investors coming into the country, the Vice President promised that in the coming months, there will be novel solutions to different macroeconomic problems, especially in the foreign exchange market.
