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| L-R: Obianuju Ikegbune, Honouree, TPP Africa & Member, EMERGE2025 Squad; Paul Ehiagbonare, CDO, Accion MFB; Dr Abiola Salami, Founder, The Peak Performer Africa & Convener EMERGE; Kemi Shonubi, PCEO, TVC Communications Honouree, TPP Africa & Facilitator, EMERGE2025; and Victoria Uwadoka, Honouree, TPP Africa & Facilitator, EMERGE2025 at EMERGE in Muson Centre, Lagos |
Experts at the 2025 Emerge Conference have stressed the need for Nigerian youths to urgently embrace Artificial and Emotional Intelligence or risk mass unemployment by 2030, as automation threatens to redefine global career landscapes and employability standards.
They gave the charge at this year's workshop with the theme, ' Career and Enterprise Growth For Young Africans' organised by The Peak Performance Africa at the Muson Centre, Lagos
Speaking at the event which attracted hundreds of Youth Corps members serving in Lagos State with many other youths joining virtually from Abuja, Convener of the Emerge 2025 Conference, Dr. Abiola Salami says the workshop in its third edition.
He said that the theme became necessary because research has shown that by 2030, 30 percent of jobs will be automated and any youth that is not Artificial Intelligent compliant will find it difficult to be employed.
According to him, Artificial Intelligence provides coding, data analysis, automation skills, technical expertise and project execution, analytical and problem solving capabilities, product designs coding system maintenance as well as build algorithms/ automotive services. However, Emotional Intelligence provides self regulation, interpersonal skills and higher employability.
Emotional Intelligence also helps in communication, empathy, team work, faster promotion, decision making, self control, focus and higher academic performance. Others are emotional regulations, resilience and stronger business outcomes which makes it necessary for youths to embrace the two.
"I want our youths to realise that the world is moving fast technologically and there is a need for them to be Artificially and Emotionally Intelligent compliant for them to be relevant in the new emerging world order.
"The advantages of AI are enormous because a job which ordinarily one can do in five hours can be done through artificial intelligence in under an hour. Very soon, those who cannot use artificial intelligence will become jobless and I urge Nigerian youths to embrace it as quickly as possible.
Dr. Salami, a world class performer, strategist, author and motivational speaker while acknowledging that AI doesn't guarantee placement or adaptability, struggles with leadership influence and promotions, and cannot alone guarantee high grades. Dr Salami while affirming that AI can miss human- centered needs and inclusivity noted that it works well when it is asked detailed questions which enables it to provide correct answers and solutions.
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| From left to right: Member, EMERGE 2025 Squad, Emeka Eze; Nigeria’s first Certified Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Prof. Peter Obadare; Founder, TPP Africa & Convener of EMERGE Dr. Abiola Salami; the Chief Risk Officer, Hydrogen, Mojisola Ologe; the Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy to the Governor of Lagos State, Titilayo Oshodi at the EMERGE 2025 in Muson Centre, Lagos, weekend. |
Also speaking on the topic 'AI Automation and Nigerian Youths, What Robot can do," were the panel of discussants. They were made up of Mrs. Victoria Uwadoka, Head Marketing, Nestle Nigeria, Mrs. Kemi Shonubi, Director, People , Culture, Experience and Operation, TBC Communication and Mr. Paul Ehiagbonare.
The panelists noted that the workshop is in line with this year's Youth International Day which was celebrated a few weeks ago whose theme also centred on Artificial Intelligence.They posited that there is a need for Nigerian youths to leverage on the tools provided by artificial and emotional intelligence in order to do better in their careers.
"The world is changing very fast and right now from medicine to law, communication, marketing, financing, music and fashion just to mention but a few, artificial intelligence is gradually taking over. Therefore, the earlier our youths embrace it, the better for them because it will help them become employable", they stressed.
In their own contributions which was done virtually from Abuja, the United States Consul General in Nigeria, Raisa Dukas and Mr. David Brown of dbrown Consulting commended the Convener for putting up the workshop. Both charged the participants to make adequate use of what they are taught as it will help them progress in their career.
They were of the opinion that AI has come to stay and is now making things in work places easy which accounts for why youths must embrace it as quickly as possible.
On the fear that AI will completely take over the work of humans, the panelists disagreed with the notion, insisting that it will only take over jobs of those who are not AI compliant.
"AI will not take over anybody's job. Those it will replace are people who cannot use it effectively and that is why it is important that our youths take it seriously now before it is too late", they concluded.
They however spoke on the need to have laws regulating the use of AI just as they expressed delight that there is now a policy document on AI put together by the Ministry of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy which they hope will be implemented.
Some of the participants who spoke to our correspondent, Obinna Odikaesieme, a Lawyer, Amarachi Nwachukwu, a Marine Engineer, Olumide Ogundiya, an accountant and Onyinyechi Chukwuma, a nurse expressed happiness with the workshop; saying that they have learnt a lot."Kudos must go to the Convener of the seminar because we learnt a lot. We are aware that AI will bring a lot of changes to society very soon and we must be part of that change.
"In a profession like medicine, very soon medical practice will witness a lot of innovations because of AI, while lawyers will waste little time in filling their briefs in Court just as an accountant or an Engineer will be helped by AI in solving their accounting or structural problems. And we look forward to many other youths to be given the opportunity to be part of the seminar," they chorused as the Emerge 2025 conference ended in Lagos.
