00:00Basically, they need to know that the money is there, okay?
00:03The youth want money. Some of them go for fast money.
00:06You know what I'm talking about here.
00:08So they need to know that the money is there.
00:11As the world goes digital, the future belongs to those who can adapt.
00:15As we commemorate World Youth Skills Day,
00:18we will be exploring how artificial intelligence
00:21and also digital tools are important for youth empowerment.
00:27I am Temitayo Olumofey. Welcome.
00:30Welcome to Guardian Talks.
00:40Joining us is an IT expert, Mr. Mos Uramta.
00:43He's going to be shedding light on the opportunities we have as youth
00:47and also the challenge ahead.
00:50Welcome to Guardian TV.
00:51Thank you for having me.
00:52All right. Good to have you.
00:54Let's cut to the chase.
00:55How critical is artificial intelligence and digital literacy
01:00for Nigerian youth in today's market, or job market rather?
01:05Okay. Thank you so much.
01:08Today we have moved from digital age, would I say information age,
01:14we are now in the AI age.
01:17A lot of people are yet to come to that point, especially the youth.
01:22And the reason is just because they are still taught the way they used to be.
01:28They are still being prepared for the jobs that would soon fade away.
01:33So the jobs that existed before are fading.
01:36We have new jobs and new roles prompted by AI.
01:39So it's required that we will skill up.
01:43The youth need to actually get in.
01:46They need to skill up in that area, you know,
01:48so that they can be part of the future, future jobs.
01:51Right.
01:51Okay.
01:52So what are some accessible pathways for young people
01:55in underserved communities to learn AI or even digital skills?
02:02Now, okay, that's interesting.
02:04We're talking about inclusion.
02:06That's right.
02:07People from rural areas.
02:08Getting people.
02:09Exactly.
02:09The beautiful thing about AI, it does not require a lot of hardware.
02:16Basically, if those in rural areas or unserved or undeserved community
02:23are going to come into the space, it means there should be an investment,
02:27like an investment of internet infrastructure.
02:31You know, if you have an internet infrastructure
02:33or you have access to data, as we proudly say here,
02:37then your phone or computer devices can be used to assess different forms of training.
02:46There's something they call AI agents.
02:48A lot of people don't even know about AI agents
02:51because these things are already built.
02:53You know, there are two parts of this.
02:54There is building, you know, of the AI machine itself,
02:59and then there are operators.
03:01Right.
03:01So we can all become operators because we may not have the investment to go to.
03:06Irrespective of whatever area we are.
03:08You cannot be an operator.
03:09So what you do is that you pick up an AI subject, you know,
03:12and then you house it, you clothe it.
03:14You wear it any kind of clothes you want to wear,
03:17and then you can use it to serve your community
03:19on what you think your community needs.
03:22Right.
03:22That's how it works.
03:23Okay.
03:24So how can government and private sector, I mean,
03:27collaborate and help scale digital skill acquisition for youth?
03:31Hmm.
03:33Okay.
03:33This is how it is.
03:34If we're going to talk about AI or digital skills,
03:38what happens is government has to be involved.
03:41They don't need to be shy.
03:42There needs to be huge investment in that sector.
03:4510, 20 years long-term planning is involved.
03:48It's not just a one-year thing, you know, three months.
03:51Currently in Nigeria, we release, we bring out,
03:56we launch certain schemes, and they are launched horridly.
03:59You know, they are launched with the idea of now.
04:03Okay.
04:03Countries, companies.
04:05Do you know Google Alphabet have been working on AI for 15 years?
04:09Right.
04:10Yes.
04:10Uber.
04:11The Uber car today, they have robots that drive them.
04:15Okay.
04:15They are running the test currently.
04:17Tesla is doing the same thing.
04:18Right.
04:18It took 10 years, 15 years to come to where they are now.
04:21So we must look at long-term planning and we must look at investing in the sector
04:26so that the youths can go, you know, full length into it without thinking of what they will eat.
04:32Okay.
04:33Now, what real-world opportunities exist for young Nigerians
04:37already equipped with AI or tech skills, locally and globally?
04:42The future jobs is actually AI.
04:46So if you have switched, if you have already acquired a skill, you are in for remote jobs.
04:52There are so many remote jobs with so many headlines.
04:55The headlines have changed.
04:57It's not accountancy.
04:59It's not about looking for accountancy.
05:01Right.
05:01But looking out for who can use AI agents as an accountant.
05:05So those are the rules.
05:06And lots of them are remote.
05:08So you can be in Oshodi today and then, or be in maybe Enugua, Bakuliki,
05:14and you can land yourself a job as long as you have the skills.
05:17So there are many sites to go to.
05:19Lots and lots of sites that you can go drop your resume as long as you have the skill
05:23and you have, you know, packaged yourself.
05:27There's the area of marketing.
05:28So you've got to market yourself.
05:30Right.
05:30You have to brand yourself.
05:31Put the skill, brand yourself, and you'll be found.
05:34Oh, really?
05:36Okay.
05:36So how do we make AI and digital skills more attractive to youths nowadays?
05:44I mean, youths of this dispensation.
05:46How do we make it attractive?
05:48And then it won't look like some sort of hard thing to do.
05:53You are able to talk about this because you have the knowledge.
05:56You're enlightened about it.
05:57So how can we make it more attractive to youth out there that if somebody like you can do
06:03it, every other youth can do it?
06:05Basically, they need to know that the money is there, okay?
06:10The youth want money.
06:11Some of them go for fast money.
06:13You know what I'm talking about, yeah?
06:15So they need to know that the money is there, okay?
06:18They need to know that the jobs is there.
06:20So a lot of advocacy.
06:21I think non-government organizations and several agencies of the government needs to launch
06:26so many AI digital programs.
06:29They are trying, okay?
06:31But they need to really open it up, okay?
06:33Not one time.
06:34Like I said, we don't need to do these things horarily.
06:36This thing has to be a continuous thing.
06:38So once the youths are aware and then there are events, programs, workshops, training that
06:44are floated by the government and other agencies, like our organization is doing a lot around
06:48this space.
06:48I was going to even go to that.
06:50We are doing a whole lot.
06:51As I talked to you now, I just returned from six states, NYSE.
06:55Okay.
06:55We combed NYSE, six states.
06:57That is the first pilot to bring this thing to their doorsteps for the coppers.
07:01So we took it to the orientation camp and then they are in now.
07:04Lots of them, they never knew that they could just land here.
07:08So they've enrolled for digital skills?
07:10Yes, enrolled for digital skills in six states in Nigeria, fan art and middle belt.
07:15So we are bringing it closer and then we are going to come to the rest.
07:18And you have great turnout.
07:19Yeah, awesome.
07:19This is just directly in partnership with NYSE, approved by the DG.
07:23Okay.
07:24And I'm excited about it that he understands the role of IT and then the future jobs.
07:28So we are talking about the future jobs here.
07:30So that has to happen.
07:31Another thing is getting into the curriculum.
07:32We need to start early.
07:34You know, sometimes it's hard to change an adult because they are already formed.
07:38Okay.
07:39At 20, 25, 30, it's so difficult to acquire new skills.
07:42But if these things can go into our curriculum at, say, primary school, so it becomes a lifestyle.
07:47Right.
07:48And so you're telling the government or schools, indirectly or directly, to actually put this as part of the curriculum.
07:54So when you have other subjects you are also taking, you have AI or digital skills to also start learning at a young level.
08:02So, all right, that's awesome.
08:04With certain concerns, rather, about AI replacing jobs, because we've seen that.
08:11I mean, there are a lot of things now that AI can actually literally do it for you without even stressing.
08:17Right.
08:17So how can youth future-proof themselves while embracing this technology?
08:24Interesting question.
08:25You know, I used to, I have this question a lot.
08:28I have it a lot all over the place.
08:30See, it's a movement.
08:32It's an age.
08:32It's moving.
08:33Now, you don't need muzzle to marry a wife.
08:35Before, you need muzzles.
08:37You need to be big.
08:38You need to go fight.
08:38You need to do all of that, and then, you know, you are the warrior, and then you can get, you know, the wife.
08:46So, it's an era.
08:47It's changing.
08:48So, this is it.
08:49Jobs exist.
08:50Too many jobs, but these are new rules.
08:53Okay, until we leave the area we are, the era we are, and move to this AI age, we cannot assess those jobs.
09:03The jobs are there.
09:04There are many, you know.
09:06They keep advertising it, but you cannot harness it, and a lot of jobs have also been created, but it's new rule, new function.
09:14So, people, we need to adopt that new rule, get the skill required for that new rule, and jump.
09:20It's like virtual assistant, and then a typeist that sits at the office.
09:27You can manage the entire calendar of a CEO without seeing him face-to-face.
09:31Right.
09:31Okay, before, what you want is, I'm a secretary, I'm a secretary, I can type, I can type, and all of that.
09:36Now, we have virtual assistants.
09:38So, we have virtual assistants.
09:39You don't need that.
09:40So, those new rules require new skills.
09:43So, when you learn the new skill, you'll fit into the new rule, and you'll get the job.
09:46But if you don't do that, now, you live in that, you know, in that fantasy that, oh, no jobs anymore.
09:53Right.
09:53And then AI is taking the jobs, but it's not true.
09:56I can give you 10 job headings that, right now, that, you know, if you are out of school today or you are in Nigeria, you may think, oh, I never knew this rule exists.
10:05But that's what we're talking about here.
10:07Awesome.
10:07Awesome.
10:08You heard it all from Mr. Mos Oromta.
10:10First of all, I want to thank you for your time here at Guardian TV.
10:14I mean, thank you for those submissions.
10:15And I really hope that youth out there are able to, I mean, plug in into all of the points you've put forward that it will be, I mean, impactful and useful for us.
10:26Because AI, digital skills, is actually the new age.
10:30Yes, yes, yes.
10:30Okay.
10:31So let's remember to empower our youth, not just to survive, but in this artificial intelligence age.
