OVL Foundation, Kratos SCL launch 9ja Youth Drive to foster sustainable livelihoods

Chinedum Ihedigbo

The 9ja Youth Drive initiative, a brainchild of OVL Foundation and Kratos Sustainability Consults, has taken a significant leap forward in its quest to empower young Nigerians.

The 9ja Youth Drive is a robust program meticulously designed to equip young Nigerians aged 18-45 with essential vocational, digital, and technical skills vital for sustainable livelihoods.

The beneficiaries will be empowered with valuable startup resources and materials for vocational skills, whilst beneficiaries of Digital and Tech-skills training get the chance to win a 1 Million Naira prize money in the forthcoming Hackathon.

To date, the initiative has successfully trained 1,852 young people nationwide, with 641 beneficiaries specifically in Delta State. Notably, the program is currently highly active in Delta State, where IHS Nigeria proudly serves as the headline sponsor.

An additional 2,235 individuals are currently undergoing training, with a projection of 6000 beneficiaries to be trained in additional cohorts by the end of the year.

Speaking at a press briefing to officially unveil the “9ja Youth Drive” initiative and provide a comprehensive update on its impactful progress in empowering young Nigerians, Chief Executive Officer for OVL Foundation and Kratos SCL, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, presented a data-driven overview of the initiative, detailing its long-term vision and the strategic decision to expand the participant age range to 18-45 years, ensuring the inclusion of vulnerable groups such as young widows.

She emphasized, “The overwhelming response and the profound, transformative experiences of our beneficiaries emphatically underscore the critical need for such initiatives. We are not merely teaching skills; we are igniting futures, cultivating ambition, and fostering a new generation of innovators who will drive Nigeria’s development.”

Coordinator of the faith-based Mountain Top Productivity Enhancement Foundation (MTPEF), Pastor Olakunle Siwoniku, introduced its crucial role as a key strategic partner in the initiative and emphasized the imperative need for increased collaboration among organizations to amplify impact across communities.

In his remarks Chairman of OVL Foundation, Victor Laniyan, urged young Nigerians to rethink the belief that academic study is the only route to success, advocating for vocational skills as a powerful and viable alternative for career advancement.

A board advisory member, Dr. Victor Okhai, highlighted the critical skills shortage in key vocations due to youth disinterest, issuing a compelling call for more companies to emulate OVL Foundation’s efforts to bridge this gap and strengthen society.

The press briefing also featured compelling testimonies from beneficiaries, highlighting the real-world impact of the training.

Participants praised the training’s exceptional value, noting how it significantly outshone paid courses and effectively closed knowledge gaps, even for those with prior experience in fields like Data Analytics and Data Science.

Discussions also covered exciting upcoming events, including a Youth Hackathon Challenge designed to foster groundbreaking innovation, and the highly anticipated Grand Finale on International Youth Day (August 12), which will serve as a capstone celebration of the achievements of the first phase and a recognition of all partners.

This event offered a valuable opportunity to engage with program organizers, beneficiaries, and key stakeholders to understand the profound impact of the 9ja Youth Drive on youth empowerment and national development.