Business
Social Media Has Reduced Youth Unemployment – ICT Experts
Some ICT experts have said
that the impacts of social media in the lives of the youths are more positive as many of them have been gainfully engaged thereby reducing unemployment.
The experts made this known in separate interviews with newsmen in Abuja.
President and Chief Executive Officer of High-Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Children Mrs Omowunmi Hassan said that social media had created employment for youths in the country.
She said that social media was one of the best things that happened to the world, especially the younger generation, “who are ICT savvy”.
“In the face of the economic challenges where young people don’t really have a platform, the social media is like their office, their work space, where they could air their opinions,” she said.
She said that the social media was a platform where the youths showcased their talents and works; they make themselves known to people and connect with friends and associates from all over the world.
“This is a whole lot of attraction to young people who obviously are not always in one place.
“There are a lot of social media platform, you have the Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram with different social importance.
“Our young people have found this platform very expressive to say what they feel and how they feel, especially in the time of democracy like this, they speak their minds freely, ” she said.
Hasan explained that the medium was also an avenue for online journalism, adding that information from the local, states and even the federal levels were shared.
She said that this had assisted in reporting what had been happening around and had created avenue for learning.
“The social media for me is a wonderful platform, though it has its lapses and disadvantages but I believe with time it will be one of those things that we will overcome, ” she added.
Mr Anietie Etuk , the Managing Director of Teencoders, an ICT training platform for teenagers said a lot of micro businesses that were coming up were conceived from the social media.
Etuk noted that these businesses were managed by the young people and this had created employment for them.
He said that social media and ICT, if properly harnessed and funded could boost economic development “in no small way”.
On her part, Ms Fatima Danjuma, another ICT expert urged the youths and other social media users to ensure security of any sites before opening them, saying unsecured sites could be identified by their addresses.
According to Danjuma, visiting social media sites has more positive values that outweigh its disadvantages.
“Social media sites are available for all, including youths, but should be visited with caution.
“Each secured site has security icon “https’ in its address, but any site that has only `http’ without the `s’ is not a secured site.
“It is therefore important for internet users, especially the youths to look out for such code before opening any site.
“The world is fast becoming internet world, where banking, buying, and other services are done online, that is the more reason for all internet users to look out for the security of any site before opening them.
“A situation where somebody gives his or her bank details or personal details to an unsecured site can be regrettable at times,” she added.
In a related development, some parents also expressed their views on the use of social media.
Mrs Yinka Bello, a parent said: “knowledge is not restricted to a source; social media is a good means of enriching ones knowledge, especially as the world has become a global village through internet.
“Students who are studying any course in Nigerian tertiary institutions can add to their knowledge through positive visits to sites that are related to their courses.
“Just like everything in life, social media also has its downside, but its good side highly outweighs its negative side,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Paul Agwu, another parent urged parents and guardians to always task their wards on likely implications of visiting social media sites that promote bad habits like pornography, homosexuality and financial fraud.
“As parents, we should always educate our youths to explore positive side of internet and shun the bad sites where bad habits are being promoted.
“Not every parent can afford those schools that teach high standard education, but through internet (social media), everyone can acquire standard knowledge,” he said.
It would be recall that losses to cybercrimes are on the increase globally, while some sites promote illicit habits to visitors.
In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.
Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos