NIPR, Microsoft Partner To Build Capacity For Nigerian Youths

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and a leading global ICT company, Microsoft have concluded plans to empower Nigerian youths with modern day skills.

A statement by the Institute’s Public Relations Officer, Stanley Ogadigo said It is important youths have skills and functional knowledge that will put them at par with their colleagues anywhere in the world.

Ogadigo said the move is part of strategies to encourage sound education in Nigeria and bring the nation’s undergraduates up to speed with their counterparts.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja, Chairman of the Institute’s 2019 Annual General Meeting/Conference, Franklyn Ginger-Eke, while making a presentation on the Committee’s plans to the leadership of the FCT Chapter said the partnership was one of the FCT Chapter’s initiatives to expose university students to practical digital experience in partnership with multinational organizations to widen their knowledge base for global competitiveness. 

“In this digital era where education is changing the way we live and study, Nigeria must make conscious effort towards empowering her youths with modern day skills and functional knowledge capable of putting them at par with their colleagues anywhere in the world, and that is what we intend to achieve through this partnership with Microsoft,” he said.

He pointed out that capacity building was a collective responsibility of all stakeholders, stressing that government alone cannot shoulder the burden of education in the country.

Speaking on the Institute’s forthcoming AGM/Conference, the Committee Chairman hinted that the FCT Chapter of the NIPR was equally looking at leadership question in Nigeria with strong assurance that the Institute intends to utilize the conference as platform to address the leadership challenge confronting the country.

In his remarks, the Chapter Chairman, Tayo Haastrup, said the choice of this year’s theme “The Leadership Question: Search for 21^st Century Leaders” was apt, noting that FCT under his watch has always set agenda for national discourse.

“I am confident that this year’s conference like previous ones will address the critical issue of leadership and awaken our consciousness on the need for us as a nation to begin to set plans to raise visionary leaders who will lead our country to prosperity”, he said.

Haastrup emphasized that the Flagship Chapter’s conference has become a veritable platform for reputable Nigerians to proffer practical solutions to national issues.

He stated that credible personalities, who had honoured the Chapter’s invitation in the last three years as keynote speakers included: Amb. Maitama Sule (late), Bishop Hassan Kukah, Prof. Pat Utomi, Mr. Frank Nweke Jr., Femi Falana (SAN), Dr. Walter Ofonagoro, Basorun Seinde Aregbofa (OFR), among others.