Youth & ICTs Challenges and Opportunities for the Nigerian Youth

1. Youth & ICTs Challenges and Opportunities for the Nigerian Youth ‘Gbenga Sesan Program Manager / Team Leader Lagos Digital Village / Paradigm Initiative Nigeria www.gbengasesan.com | me@gbengasesan.com Kwara State ICT & Youth Seminar. Ilorin, Nigeria. June 16, 2005

2. The Nigerian Youth • ‘The United Nations General Assembly defined ‘youth’, as those persons falling between the ages of 15 and 24 years inclusive. This definition was made for International Youth Year, held around the world in 1985” -- www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/qanda.htm • “Member States are encouraged to establish official definitions of youth that can be consistently applied across all national policies, programmes and agencies. These definitions should be based on the social, cultural and economic context of each society” -- Strategic Framework for NEPAD Youth Programme • The Nigerian youth is a Nigerian. He must not only consider what his parents or the community can do for him but must consider what we can do for our nation • The Nigerian Youth is under-equipped – schools’ curricula, laboratories, teaching aids, educational system, etc • … but most young Nigerians have proved that we are smart despite the “poor exposure” • Misdirected smartness is folly wearing an overall with “Self Deceit” written on it – stay away from “smartness” that can disgrace you or eliminate your enviable future

3. A New Economy • The Information Age is revealing a complex convergence that seeks to create a new society driven by information, communication and technologies -- and an evident shrinking of space and dissolution of physical boundaries • The Information Society embraces a multi-stakeholder approach, bringing governments, businesses, civil society (media, academia, NGOs) and SIGs (e.g. youth) together • Every profession is repositioning for improved relevance in the new Information Society – from Accounting (New Accounting) to Agriculture (Precision Agriculture), and Computing (Information Sciences) too! • This new paradigm is also shifting educational standards – from what you have (certificate) to what you know (expertise). Nations are not left out. Natural resources no longer dictate who’s in charge -- Human and Intellectual Capital decide • Africa’s response to the New Economy is responsible for our present situation, made worse by corruption and lack of adequate leadership • The New Economy respects global citizens, not local champions

4. ICTs 101: A Quick Introduction • Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs): The means of generating, processing, transporting and presenting information • Old ICTs: Town crier, print/electronic media in the past, etc • New ICTs: • Information Technology • Computers; Data processing/number crunching • Telecommunications • Telephones, fax, satellite, TV; Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) • Networks • Internet, data, satellite, cell; Pretty Amazing New Services (PANS) • ICTs: Convergence of Communications, computers, consumer electronics, content • Convergence at the level of technology – all is in bits (binary digits); industry; policy & regulation; advocacy and multi-stakeholder participation

5. ICT Opportunities • ICTs provide amazing opportunities and young people have the advantage of growing with technology – e.g. cell phones • Some specific opportunities are listed below: • RESEARCH Explore the world’s largest pool of knowledge and data. The internet provides amazing search opportunities – wider than your imagination; • EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Stay in touch without stress, remember birthdays. eMail, chat, SMS… Skype’s free VoIP calls, GMail’s 2GB of space, etc; • TRANSGENERATIONAL IMPACT Leave a legacy, contribute to global web content. Your personal website can help inspire another young person. Or create a profile page on TIG; • PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT Maximize internet opportunities. MIT’s Open Courseware is one example of diverse high-end educational opportunities; • NATION BUILDING/REGIONAL COOPERATION Mount the ICT for Development stage, act your scene… we have but this one life to live. Ask not of what your nation can do for you… • GLOBAL PARTICIPATION AND RELEVANCE There’s no better tool for global collaboration. Be omnipresent…

6. Just before you shut down… • Many of you have been to a good number of conferences this year alone. But what do you make of what you pick up? Make up your mind to put to use, the nuggets that you will identify in these 3 sessions • You must settle the issue of career choice before you step into tomorrow – and that begins from the very next moment. You are not too young/old to start… • If your goals in life only exist in your head, and they only come up during discussions, you are only day-dreaming. Get a pen and write down your goals (Don’t forget your pen and paper, especially for the last session – In Your Hands) • According to the principle of common good, those who seek to make impact within their community always end up improving themselves • ICTs provide amazing opportunities to manage your planning process – search for information on your direction, send emails to mentors, organize with your mobile phone/laptop

7. THANK YOU ‘Gbenga Sesan Program Manager / Team Leader Lagos Digital Village / Paradigm Initiative Nigeria www.gbengasesan.com | me@gbengasesan.com Kwara State ICT & Youth Seminar. Ilorin, Nigeria. June 16, 2005