By Joseph Erunke

SENATE President, Bukola Saraki,has said the future of Nigeria’s economic security could only be determined by how the youths of the country were prepared.

To this end, he has tasked governments, the private sector and academia to redouble efforts to empower Nigerian youth for entrepreneurship and greater self reliance.

Speaking in Abuja ahead of the upcoming technology and skills building training programme, expected to be launched in Kwara State today (Saturday) the Senate President said one of the greatest challenges the country has to grapple with was the need to gainfully engage its bulging youth population.

“I for one believe it is a national imperative for us to promote the development and education of our young people today, so they can benefit from tomorrow’s global economy”, he said.

Noting that the International Monetary Fund, IMF, predicted that Nigeria’s economy will contract by 1.7 percent in 2017, Saraki insisted that “government, the private sector and academia must redouble its effort to empower Nigerian youth for entrepreneurship and greater self-reliance.”

“We must ask ourselves, are we to plant the seeds for a prosperous and abundant Nigeria? Or do we ignore the danger signs about the current youth bulge?” He said.

“According to the latest estimate from the National Population Commission, Nigeria’s population is now approximately 182 million people. More than half of the population is under 30 and another 40 percent of that are under the age of 14” said Saraki.