Nigeria’s youthful population is central to the country’s digital transformation and long-term economic growth, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, has said.
Enikanolaiye made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the management of Huawei Technologies Nigeria, as the company disclosed it has trained over 100,000 Nigerians in digital skills since 2018.
The development was contained in a statement issued by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Nigeria’s young and vibrant population is the driving force behind innovation, entrepreneurship and national development,” the minister said.
He explained that the Federal Government is prioritising policies that harness the country’s demographic advantage to drive innovation, strengthen digital capacity and support national development.
During the engagement, Huawei’s delegation, led by Dr. Jim Zhang, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to Nigeria’s digital growth, particularly through talent development and infrastructure support.
Zhang said Huawei plans to train 120,000 Nigerians under its LEAP talent development programme by 2027, building on the more than 100,000 already trained.
“Huawei is fully committed to supporting Nigeria in building a digital-enabled economy through infrastructure, innovation and talent development,” he said.
Huawei, which has operated in Nigeria since 1999, continues to expand its presence across key areas including telecommunications, cloud computing and digital infrastructure.
The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between Nigeria and Huawei in advancing digital skills, innovation and technology-driven growth.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to partnerships that will enhance Nigeria’s digital capacity and position the country for a competitive role in the global digital economy.
