This effort according to the company is put together by Microsoft Nigeria in partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as the largest gathering of youths in Nigeria; Mind the Gap, a job creation, employability and social entrepreneurship incubation programme; and Future Enterprise Support Scheme, an online community where young people can come together to share knowledge, ideas, tips and resources.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative, Olayinka Oni, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa who represented Jeffrey Avina, Director, Citizenship, Microsoft Middle East and Africa, said, "We believe there's never been a better time to invest in Africa and in Nigeria in particular. Microsoft sees tremendous potential in the youth of this country, and through YouthSpark and the 4Afrika Initiative, we are committed to being an enabler for this generation by helping them get the skills they need to achieve their goals."
According to him, the initiative includes Corporate Social Investment (CSI) and other company programs aimed at empowering youth to imagine and realise their full potential by connecting them with greater opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship.
He said through this and as part of the commitments announced earlier this year through the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, Microsoft is creating a platform for youth to learn leadership and life skills that aim to address youth unemployment caused by lack of skills which is one key factor hindering economic growth in Africa.
"Additionally, later this summer in Nigeria, Microsoft will roll out its Build Your Business program, a comprehensive and interactive training course designed to support aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs. Microsoft will also launch an employability portal locally, which Nigerian youth will be able to access to help them find jobs, Oni added."
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