The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola,made this known at a one-day workshop on youth empowerment organised by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council ( NEPC), in collaboration with Ogun State Government with the theme, "digital space: panacea for youth inclusiveness", which had a large turn-out of corps members in attendance in Ijebu-Ode.
Represented by the Director of Commerce, Mr. Olalere Ariyibi-Opaleye, the Permanent Secretary underscored the importance of youth empowerment, describing it as an avenue that will give them the push to take control of their future.
Aikulola posited that the innate power within the younger generation is capable of making the world a much better place,pointing out that the youth at the moment have the best opportunity to key into the ongoing diversification process from oil to non-oil products in Nigeria.
He added that the present administration in Ogun State is playing vital roles in assisting trade and export activities through aggressive agricultural production, industrialisation programmes.
According to him, youth empowerment must be sustained in order to equip the leaders of tomorrow with requite skills to key into export business, thereby strengthening the state, improving Gross Domestic Products ( GDP) which have direct impacts on the standard of living.
"We are all talking about diversification of our economy from oil to exportation of agricultural products and other non-oil products. It is expedient for our youths to take full advantage of this opportunity as well as equip themselves to be part of the team that will take Ogun and Nigeria to her desired position in digital exposition and export business,"Aikulola said.
In her welcome address, the State Coordinator, NEPC, Mrs. Francisca Odega, said the youths population is a great asset to any economy, noting that the Council launched Youth Export Programme (YEP) few weeks ago to create a platform for mainstreaming youth into the non-oil export value chain.
Odega noted that many Nigerian youth have embraced non-oil export business which had changed in many various export ventures in diverse sectors including sports, education, entertainment, fashion, agriculture, among others.
Mr. Emmanuel Erika, in his lecture, said with the advent of digital technology, the challenge of export has been reduced, adding that export is tomorrow's business which begins today.
