The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has urged young people in the region to embrace artificial intelligence and other digital skills as a pathway to entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation.
The NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, gave the charge during an Artificial Intelligence training programme held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Ogbuku said the Commission was committed to equipping youths with practical digital skills that would enable them to become employers of labour rather than remain dependent on scarce employment opportunities.
Represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Reverend Obegha Oworibo, the NDDC boss said the rapid growth of artificial intelligence was changing the way people work, learn and do business globally.
“The world of work is changing rapidly. Artificial Intelligence is transforming how people learn, create, conduct business and solve problems,” he said.
He encouraged the participants to look around their communities, identify everyday challenges and use their new knowledge to develop practical solutions in areas such as agriculture, healthcare, education and business.
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Ogbuku also stressed the need for the Niger Delta to look beyond its traditional dependence on oil and develop a technology-driven economy capable of competing on the global stage.
According to him, AI can help young entrepreneurs research markets, develop business ideas, engage customers and create content, while also helping small businesses improve productivity and reach wider markets.
The NDDC Director of Information Technology and Innovation, Mr. Emeka Ani, who joined the programme virtually, said the focus should go beyond simply adopting artificial intelligence.
Ani explained that the real priority was developing people with the skills to use technology to solve problems, create value and generate employment.
He said the Commission’s investment in youth capacity development over the years had continued with the AI training, describing it as part of efforts to build a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation and entrepreneurship.
Speaking on the theme, “Catalysing Digital Innovation, Job Creation and Economic Self-Reliance with AI Skills,” the lead facilitator, Professor Onyenuga Adedeji of the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, urged participants to use artificial intelligence responsibly.
He emphasised the importance of ethical AI use, stressing that while the technology offers enormous opportunities, its benefits would depend largely on how responsibly people apply it to real-life challenges.
The training therefore provided participants with an opportunity to gain digital knowledge that could open doors to new businesses, creative ventures and employment opportunities within and beyond the Niger Delta.
