The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has described Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the ‘new oil’ of the Niger Delta, urging youths in the region to acquire digital skills and use technology to create businesses and solve challenges in their communities.
The commission made the call as it commenced a four-day AI training and capacity-building programme for youths in the Niger Delta.
The programme, organised by the NDDC Department of Information Technology and Innovation, is themed ‘Artificial Intelligence, Digital Skills and Innovative Entrepreneurship.’
The NDDC said the training was part of its efforts to develop human capital in the region and prepare young people for active participation in the emerging digital economy.
Declaring the programme open, the NDDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, represented by his Chief of Staff, Obegha Oworibo, said the initiative was designed to shift the mindset of youths from job seekers to opportunity creators.
He said, ‘Oil is extracted from the ground, but the value of AI is unlocked through knowledge, creativity and human intelligence. Oil can be depleted, but knowledge can multiply.’
Ogbuku said the world of work was changing rapidly, with AI transforming how people learn, create, conduct businesses and solve problems.
‘We want to move our young people from being job seekers to opportunity creators, from being consumers of technology to creators with technology, and from dependency towards sustainable economic empowerment,’ he said.
He urged participants to focus less on obtaining certificates and more on applying the knowledge acquired to develop practical solutions.
‘Do not come here simply to learn what Artificial Intelligence can do. Come to discover what you can build with it,’ he said.
Ogbuku said AI could be applied across sectors including agriculture, healthcare, education, environmental sustainability, creative industries and finance.
He said the success of the programme would be measured by the businesses created, incomes generated, problems solved and opportunities provided to others.
‘The true measure of this programme will not be the number of people who complete the training or the number of certificates that are issued. Its true measure will be what happens afterwards: the businesses that are created, the ideas that are developed, the incomes that are generated, the problems that are solved and the opportunities that are created for others,’ he said.
Also speaking, the Director of Information Technology and Innovation, Engr. Emeka Ani, described the programme as a strategic investment in human capital development in the Niger Delta.
Ani said participants would be exposed to practical applications of AI, digital innovation, data analytics, content creation and entrepreneurship.
‘The greatest opportunity lies not merely in adopting AI, but in developing people who can use it to solve problems, create value, and generate employment,’ he said.
According to him, participants are expected to acquire practical knowledge of AI and its applications, improve productivity and innovation using AI tools, identify entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities, develop solutions to real-life challenges, build professional networks and position themselves for opportunities in Nigeria’s and the global digital economy.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Oyenuga Adedeji of the University of Lagos said AI could help the Niger Delta move beyond its traditional resource-extraction economy towards knowledge-driven development.
Adedeji identified agriculture, environmental management, logistics, entrepreneurship and community resilience as areas where AI could have significant impact.
He said the technology could support precision agriculture and aquaculture, monitor oil spills and coastal erosion, predict floods and improve business operations.
The don also called for the establishment of AI innovation hubs across the region, supported by reliable connectivity, computing resources, incubation programmes and digital skills training.
Participants at the training expressed appreciation to the NDDC for the initiative.
A law student, Favour Ndidi, said AI had become useful in her academic work, public speaking and other activities.
‘It is very thoughtful of the NDDC to equip Niger Delta youths on AI skills,’ she said.
Another participant, Desire James, said the training would help improve his use of AI tools and productivity.
Mary Akpabio, another participant, said the programme had changed her perception of AI, stressing that the technology could enhance rather than threaten employment.
‘AI cannot take our jobs; instead, it will make our job better,’ she said.