Blockchain technology can help reduce Nigeria’s unemployment rate, says Lagos commissioner

Folashade Adefisayo, commissioner of education in Lagos, says blockchain technology is a viable skill that students and youths can imbibe to become employable anywhere in the world.

Speaking at the recent cohort one graduation ceremony of the Blockchain Vibes Academy in Lagos, Adefisayo, said there was a need to reduce the unemployment gap.

To surmount the problem, she said the state government has introduced some initiatives, which includes the provision of technical skills that can make them “not just employable but also employers of labour”.

The commissioner added that with blockchain technology skills, youths can help solve the country’s unemployment challenge.

“Now, I understand that blockchain is another skill that we can teach our students, which will make them eminently employable and I also believe it will make them employers and effective in the world we live in,” she said.

“It’s something that I will think through because even in our coding departments, we are developing a curriculum and we have to teach our students many other things beyond just coding.

“But I can see now that we need to start going to even deeper technical things like the blockchain and I am not going to just take the money for myself, but to see how we can take advantage of the education we can use.

“Even as an educationist, I understand that we cannot go narrow about technology. Every sector now uses technology in multiple areas.”

Speaking on the essence of the training, Femi Adegolu, chairman of Blockchain Vibes Academy, said education and innovation are major factors in creating opportunities.

Adegolu said the graduates are to set the pace for innovation and build startups that will contribute to the growth and revenue of the country.

“The aim of the academy is to train people and also give them an opportunity for internships and also jobs. You know, education goes along with innovation. When you are educated, you are empowered and when you are empowered, you will want to innovate,” he said.

“So, in our ecosystem right now we are looking to create unicorns, in the next two to three years. We want to raise startup founders in the blockchain academy that will raise $1 million or more and also attract foreign direct investments in Nigeria.

“When funds are raised, what happens is they are going to employ people and this would in turn have socio-economic impacts in Nigeria and even within Africa.”