The Deputy Assistant Secretary of United States, Bureau of African Affairs, Joy Basu, described Nigeria’s young population as an asset to Africa and the world at large.
Basu, who made the remark during a visit to Vibranium Valley Tech City to discuss about the African economy in Lagos on Saturday, said it was important for the world to know that the young talents in Nigeria were incredible.
According to Basu, not only is the population of Nigeria so young but filled with youths who are very smart. “These young talents have a history of unlocking economic prosperity through creativity and innovations. They see challenges in diverse perspective and are ready to delve into it to find solutions”, she added.
According to her, the young talented population were not only needed to solve Nigeria’s problems, but also Africa and the world. She explained that such young assets should not be left unrefined, stressing that opportunities should be created for them to thrive for economic growth and development.
Basu noted that the U.S government recognises the immense potential of Nigeria’s young population and would continue to provide support through investment, partnership and trainings. She stressed that talent discovery and development needed to be taken seriously, saying: “We will continue to partner with Nigeria and Africa to build a better world”.
On bridging gender gap, she said the U.S government had been doing a lot to support women by ensuring they had equal opportunities.
Basu noted that the U.S government was not only supporting women through access to funding, but also by ensuring that it reaches those in the underserved communities.
