Nigeria China strategic partnership empower youths with AI and digital skills, marking World Youth Skills Day 2025 with focus on innovation and inclusion

Nigeria China strategic partnership took centre stage on World Youth Skills Day 2025, celebrating a deepening bilateral alliance while pushing the boundaries of youth empowerment through artificial intelligence and digital skills training.

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With the year’s global theme, “Youth Empowerment Through AI and Digital Skills,” the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) reaffirmed its commitment to unlocking future-focused opportunities for Nigerian youth.

Through strategic collaboration with Chinese tech firms and institutions, NCSP aims to build capacity that will boost employability, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth.

Director General of NCSP, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, stressed the transformative potential of technology in shaping Nigeria’s economic future.

“When we empower our youth with relevant digital skills, we do more than reduce unemployment; we build a more resilient economy,” Tegbe said.

“At NCSP, we are committed to building partnerships that translate into real opportunities, especially in the AI and digital sectors where the future of work lies.”

The partnership between Nigeria and China has moved beyond trade into impactful skills development, with the NCSP acting as a conduit for policy alignment, investment attraction, and institutional cooperation.

Tegbe noted that young people, if equipped with the right tools, represent a powerful force for national development.

This vision aligns with the United Nations’ emphasis on education and technical training, as embodied in its 2014 declaration of World Youth Skills Day.

The focus on digital proficiency, creativity, and innovation underscores the importance of preparing youth for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

NCSP’s initiatives include coding academies, digital incubation centres, and cross-border internships supported by Chinese firms.

These interventions target rural and underserved communities, ensuring inclusive access to high-demand tech skills.

“We are aligning policy with practice, bringing together government institutions, private sector players, and international partners to create a pipeline of skilled talent for today and tomorrow,” Tegbe stated.

Through increased engagement with Chinese stakeholders, the partnership has led to the establishment of new digital labs, joint innovation platforms, and specialised vocational training hubs across several Nigerian states.

As both countries expand their diplomatic and economic horizons, the NCSP remains pivotal in ensuring mutual benefit, particularly by positioning Nigerian youth to lead in innovation, tech-enabled enterprise, and sustainable solutions.

“This partnership is not just symbolic. It’s actionable,” Tegbe added.

“China’s experience with digital transformation is instructive. Nigeria stands to gain by adapting that knowledge and empowering our youth to be builders of a smarter, inclusive economy.”

World Youth Skills Day 2025, as marked by the NCSP, was not only a celebration but a strategic declaration: that investing in youth and building a digitally capable workforce is the surest path to future prosperity.

As Nigeria strengthens its place in the global digital economy, this year’s theme is a timely reminder of the stakes and opportunities.

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With the Nigeria China strategic partnership gaining momentum, the promise of a digitally empowered generation is no longer distant — it is being built today.