Governor Hope Uzodimma has said his administration is building a durable, practical, and forward-looking foundation for Imo State through the Skill-Up Imo Programme, a digital empowerment initiative aimed at positioning the state as a leader in Nigeria’s emerging technology-driven economy.

The governor stated this on Saturday, October 11, 2025, during the graduation of 10,000 young men and women under Cohort 3 of the Skill-Up Imo Project held at the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Convention Centre, Owerri.

The latest graduation brings the total number of trained youths to 50,000, following the earlier training of 40,000 participants in Cohorts 1 and 2 in fields including software engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital marketing.

Uzodimma also unveiled MyImoApp, a new digital platform designed to help citizens access government services such as land record verification, tax payment, emergency reporting, and business promotion from anywhere in the world.

“We are not casually training people; we are laying practical, durable, and forward-facing foundations. What you need, and what we are building, are platforms, tools, and policies to ensure your skills find full expression. Your success is not a side benefit of our digital policy; it is the point of it,” Uzodimma said. 

The governor disclosed that the state is developing the Imo Digital City, which will host Nigeria’s first state-level Artificial Intelligence Institute, a Robotics and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hub, Innovation Labs, and Digital Entrepreneurship Centres to unlock opportunities for young innovators.

He urged the graduates to use their acquired skills not only for self-employment but also to create opportunities for others. 

“Be solution-minded. Build with purpose. Think of your community and your state and ask how technology can make things better,” he charged.

Uzodimma appreciated development partners such as the Federal Ministry of Communications, NITDA, Microsoft, Cisco, UNDP, Zinox Computers, US-MAC, and the University of California, Berkeley, for their support in implementing the programme.

Commending the initiative, APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, said Uzodimma was taking the “right direction” by investing in youth empowerment. 

“He is transforming not just Imo State, but Nigeria’s and Africa’s future economy through digital skills,” he said.

Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, described the initiative as “a testament to the foresighted leadership of Governor Uzodimma,” aligning with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on industrial growth and digitization.

Also, Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Anite-Uzoka, lauded the project as “a powerful programme that strengthens youth empowerment and aligns with national economic goals.”

Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, said the graduates were trained in diverse areas including graphics design, cybersecurity, CCTV maintenance, and digital modelling, assuring that Imo is on course to become “Africa’s Digital Skills Hub.”

The event’s highlight was the presentation of startup kits to some graduates by the governor, assisted by the ministers, as the state announced the immediate commencement of Cohort 4 of the Skill-Up Imo training.

Vanguard News