FCT: 400 students receive training in AI, coding, robotics
Over 400 secondary school students in Abuja have been equipped with skills in artificial intelligence, coding, and robotics by an international non-profit organization, PanAfricare. Speaking at the Future Skills Code Bot finale in Abuja, PanAfricare’s Director of International Programs, Rachel Ochako, stressed the importance of empowering Nigerian youth with technological skills. She underscored that coding, […]
Over 400 secondary school students in Abuja have been equipped with skills in artificial intelligence, coding, and robotics by an international non-profit organization, PanAfricare.
Speaking at the Future Skills Code Bot finale in Abuja, PanAfricare’s Director of International Programs, Rachel Ochako, stressed the importance of empowering Nigerian youth with technological skills. She underscored that coding, robotics, and AI are essential tools for building a sustainable future and tackling national challenges.
Ochako urged the youth to embrace these disciplines, calling them the foundation for innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership in Nigeria.
“Our goal is to empower young people with innovation, leadership, and the right mindset to succeed,” she noted. “With Nigeria’s large youth population and high unemployment rates, STEM skills can equip them to pursue entrepreneurship and create jobs.” She stressed that solutions to Nigeria’s challenges must come from Nigerians, emphasizing the importance of teaching ICT within local contexts.
Dr. Patrick Adah, PanAfricare’s Country Director, revealed that the project trained over 280 students, with girls making up more than half, and equipped 28 teachers to ensure sustainability.
“The initiative has fostered critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and innovation among students. It has also bridged the digital literacy gap and encouraged locally thought-out solutions,” he explained.
FCT Secondary Education Board Director, Dr. Mohammad Sani Ladan, commended PanAfricare and its partners for their support. He urged the youth to embrace technology and aim high, noting, “The skills acquired are not just technical tools but a mindset ready to tackle future challenges.”