Education stakeholders have urged Nigerian youth to embrace digital innovation and entrepreneurship as key drivers for self-reliance, job creation, and national development.
From Cyril Mbah,
Education stakeholders have urged Nigerian youth to embrace digital innovation and entrepreneurship as key drivers for self-reliance, job creation, and national development.
This call was made yesterday in Abuja during the unveiling of educational tools designed to support the implementation of the 2025 national curriculum for primary and junior secondary schools, organised by BMI Finishing School.
The event, which brought together government representatives, educators, parents, and civil society actors, marked a significant step in Nigeria’s push to integrate practical and digital learning into the basic education system.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman and Founder of BMI Finishing School, Engr. Nnamdi Felix Unachukwu, said the newly introduced digital skill lab will offer visual, hands-on training to pupils as an interim measure while physical facilities are still being developed.
He described the initiative as timely given the nation’s socio-economic realities.
“Unemployment is high, poverty levels are rising, and youth restlessness continues to grow. Entrepreneurship education is now an urgent necessity—not merely an option,” Unachukwu stated.
He noted that countries that have achieved sustained development did so by promoting innovation and entrepreneurship from an early age.
“Research shows that the optimal age to introduce entrepreneurship education is between 7 and 14. This makes our basic education system the ideal platform for nurturing future job creators rather than job seekers,” he added.
Unachukwu stressed that Nigeria must move away from its outdated, theory-heavy education model and adopt a skills-based system aligned with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
“The old curriculum was designed to produce employable graduates. Sadly, our population growth has far outpaced the labour market’s capacity,” he said.
The new curriculum, he explained, prioritises digital literacy, vocational training, entrepreneurship, and practical skill acquisition, shifting from certificate-oriented learning to one that prepares students for both self-employment and formal work.
Unachukwu disclosed that BMI has already launched a pilot phase of the program in Lagos and Niger States, engaging about 20 public schools and distributing educational materials to facilitate implementation.
“The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with several leading private schools—especially in Lagos—adopting these tools,” he revealed.
He further explained that the BMI skill-lab model can be deployed in schools and communities, in line with the National Council on Education’s directive that every child graduating from primary or secondary school must possess at least two practical skills.
BMI, he said, is also in advanced discussions with three state governments to expand the initiative.
“This initiative addresses the critical need for age-appropriate materials to support the new curriculum, transforming what some may see as a sudden shift into a well-planned educational revolution,” Unachukwu added.
Amb. Dr. Hilary Akpua, Founder of the Great Achievers Initiative for Youth and Community Development (GAIYD), underscored the importance of teacher training in achieving the goals of the new curriculum.
“Educators must be equipped with the necessary skills to deliver digital and entrepreneurship content effectively,” he said, stressing the need for improved school infrastructure such as computer labs, robotic kits, and reliable internet access.
Akpua noted that GAIYD is partnering with BMI to extend the initiative to local communities, especially within the FCT and North Central region, to give children from underserved backgrounds access to quality, skill-based education.
“We’ve taken this mission personally because many young people lack opportunities to support their families. This curriculum gives them a pathway to contribute meaningfully,” he added.
He also appealed to parents, NGOs, and political leaders to adopt and support the tools as practical instruments for poverty reduction and youth empowerment.
In his remarks, Dr. Okey Ikechukwu, Executive Director of Development Specs Academy, called for strong public-private partnerships to sustain the initiative.
“We need collaboration with technology companies to provide mentorship and real-world learning experiences for students,” he said.
He emphasised that practical, hands-on education has the power to transform mindsets and prepare Nigerian youth for a globally competitive future.
“If we can train our children in hands-on skills, it will open their eyes to the world within and around them—creating a generation ready to drive global progress,” Ikechukwu concluded.
The launch of BMI’s digital skill lab and education toolkit represents a growing national consensus that skills, innovation, and entrepreneurship, not certificates will define Nigeria’s path to inclusive growth and youth empowerment.
