No fewer than 350 unemployed youths from Ogun Central Senatorial District have graduated from the 9th edition of a digital literacy training programme and received brand-new laptops in an empowerment drive facilitated by Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu.
Training Structure and Collaboration
The 10-day training, which combined five days of virtual sessions and five days of hands-on practicals at the JAMB office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, was organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Speaking yesterday at the end of the programme, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information Communication Technology and Cybersecurity, Senator Salisu, disclosed that the initiative was designed to equip young people with the tools to thrive in a technology-driven economy.
He noted that the two-week programme, which ran from 4 May to 15 May 2026, had been structured in two phases – online and physical.
Empowerment for the Digital Age
“The world is increasingly driven by technology. This programme is aimed at exposing our youths to the opportunities in ICT and how they can use it to promote their businesses and services,” he said.
The lawmaker stated that the selection process was inclusive and apolitical, noting that beneficiaries were drawn from across the six local government areas of the district, with a number of applicants coming through an online portal from outside the senatorial zone.
The training brought together religious leaders and community stakeholders who were also trained to enable them to utilise digital tools in their day-to-day activities.
Part of Ongoing Constituency Projects
The empowerment programme is part of Senator Salisu’s ongoing constituency projects. Senator Salisu, fondly called OMOYAYI, was recently adopted by stakeholders in Ogun Central for a second term in office in recognition of his contributions to the development of the district.
“I am extremely joyous today because I am investing in people’s lives. This kind of empowerment goes beyond giving out items; it equips young people with digital skills that can put food on their tables and prepare them for leadership,” he said.
The senator revealed that the training is the 9th edition of the initiative and that over 2,000 constituents have benefited so far. “This is my deliberate decision to focus on education and technology. We will continue to expand this programme. Beneficiaries should make good use of the training and never sell the laptops given to them,” he urged.
Commendations from Dignitaries
Also speaking, Member of the House of Representatives representing Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, Hon. Afolabi Afuape, commended Senator Salisu for sustaining youth-focused empowerment initiatives.
Afuape noted that the programme had continued to impact constituents positively and congratulated the senator on his emergence as the consensus candidate for a second term representing Ogun Central Senatorial District.
He encouraged beneficiaries to become good ambassadors in their communities and utilise the opportunity effectively.
Chairman of Odeda Local Government, Hon. Folashade Adeyemo, commended the senator for the initiative, describing him as a results-driven leader. “This is a laudable project that will take many youths out of poverty. Our senator is a promise keeper and a ‘talk-and-do’ politician,” she said.
Beneficiary Testimony
One of the beneficiaries, Mudashir Qodir Olanrewaju, expressed gratitude to the senator for the opportunity, describing the training as life-changing. “I want to appreciate our distinguished senator for bringing this opportunity to us. I have learned website design and improved my skills in Microsoft PowerPoint, and I am glad to be part of this training,” he said.
He encouraged fellow participants to maximise the opportunity beyond the programme. “This kind of opportunity has nothing to do with politics. I urge my fellow participants to utilise what we have learned here for our personal development and the betterment of our future,” he said.
Other dignitaries present at the event included the former local government chairman, Hon. Bola Lawal; commissioner-designate, Hon. Adebayo Sanusi; and other political leaders and local government officials, who praised the programme as a practical step toward empowering youths and strengthening the digital economy in Ogun State.
