The National Information Technology Development Agency says the country needs to sustain equipping the young people with relevant digital skills and structured career plans to thrive in the evolving job market.

Malam Kashifu Inuwa, NITDA’s director-general, said this in Abuja at the launch of Innovation Space, an initiative designed to support National Youth Service Corps members in building startups and developing market-ready solutions.

Mr Inuwa said between 3.5 million and four million young Nigerians entered the labour market annually, stressing that the nature of jobs was changing. He said there were many emerging roles in data science, artificial intelligence, and software development that had only recently gained prominence.

The NITDA boss restated the importance of visibility and self-promotion in career growth, noting that hard work alone is no longer sufficient.

Mr Inuwa said the innovation space was created to provide corps members with a platform to transform ideas into viable products and businesses within the agency.

He explained that participants would receive training, mentorship, and opportunities to develop solutions that could be adopted by NITDA and other government agencies.

He disclosed that some corps members had already developed solutions currently being adopted by NITDA, while others were being supported to commercialise their innovations and offer services to ministries, departments and agencies.

Mr Inuwa added that the initiative aligns with the vision of President Bola Tinubu to create opportunities for young Nigerians and drive economic growth through innovation.

NYSC’s director-general, Olakunle Nafiu, reaffirmed the scheme’s relevance, describing it as a critical platform for youth development and national progress.

Mr Nafiu said the partnership with NITDA was opening new opportunities for corps members to contribute meaningfully to national development through innovation.

He urged public and private organisations to move beyond the routine deployment of corps members and instead create structured programmes that harness their skills and creativity.

“We are not just posting corps members to serve, we expect organisations to add value to them and tap into their potential to develop solutions for society.

(NAN)