The Strategic Women and Youth Institute (SWYI) has put in place an innovation youth idea lab that provides the essential tools and resources for innovation and strategy professionals. The idea is to capture, collaborate, scale, and measure the ideas of youths in one centralized innovation Youth Idea Lab at the forthcoming Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) between February 27 – March 3, 2022.
A renowned entrepreneur in the area of integrated safety equipment and services in the energy and gas space, Mrs. Ngozi Oyewole, who is also the President and Board Chair of SWYI, said that there is the need to inculcate a sense of entrepreneurship among youth competencies in life-long learning in addition to a developed sense for creativity, innovation and risk-taking, the readiness to seize opportunities at work and in daily life, and the ability to plan and manage projects.
“Encouraging the youths in acquiring such skills and attitudes can contribute to social or commercial activity especially in areas of a cleaner environment and the advantages posed by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA)”, said Oyewole adding that the broader aim of the Youth Idea Lab initiative is to help young people become ‘entrepreneurs of their own lives’, able to shape personal prospects through constant updating and upgrading of skills and hybrid know-how, in a changing environment in which ‘a job for life’ no longer exists.
Open innovation and attracting new talent remain the quickest way to implement change, and SWYI has gathered some brilliant youths to showcase their brainstorming ideas that will scale them into successful innovation. The innovation and creativity can also help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to become resources in co-creating solutions that give them access to society.
The range of programs put together by SWYI stimulates young peoples’ employability and entrepreneurship skills which can inspire policy making and help solve problems as experts in this field.
The other objectives of the Youth Lab Innovation programme apart from fostering creativity and entrepreneurship, is also to empower young people to implement their own ideas, to raise self-esteem and self-confidence and to promote the acquisition of competences and skills by carrying out concrete projects.
“We are encouraging interested organizations to throw their weight behind us in giving these youths the much-needed funds to realize their dreams”, Oyewole said.
“The usefulness of encouraging STEMpreneurs in the energy and gas sector, especially the recognition of these young inventors will encourage more youth participation in the society”, said Mrs Blessing Enakimio, Vice President and Deputy Board, SWYI, adding that the N.I.E.S Youth Idea Lab is the first of its kind at the summit, “thus, the role SWYI is playing as the official Education Partners is indeed a GAME CHANGER”.
A committee consisting of young people, relevant national bodies and Brevity Anderson – the organizers and producers of N.I.E.S 2022, are on the project to monitor the process in place.