Given the significant opportunities, it offers in the face of the staggering unemployment rate in the country, the phrase "tech is the new oil" is on the lips of many. Driven to bridge the knowledge gap and equip young people with requisite tech skills, the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce graduated its first set of students - Cohort 1.1 from the NBCC Tech Academy on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. 

The President and Chairman of the Council - Bisi Adeyemi, as well as the Deputy President - Ray Atelly, Frpa, Council Member and Country Senior Partner PwC- Uyi Apata; Chairman, Energy Group – Taaj Shobayo; Chairman, Technology Committee - Solape Akinpelu, and Lanre Johnson, Member, Technology Committee, were all present at the graduation ceremony, which held at the NBCC headquarters in Lekki, Lagos State.

In her welcome speech, Mrs. Solape Akinpelu - Chairman Technology Committee, NBCC, referred to graduation day as a momentous occasion that marks both an end and a new beginning, emphasizing  "it's pleasant memories of the past and great expectations for the future." 

In her speech, the President & Chairman of the Council stated that the main impetus for the academy's establishment was the desire to bridge the gender gap in the Tech Sector. 

She pointed out that despite the sector's expansion, it has yet to impact the unemployment rate, which increased from 32.5% in 2021 to 33% in 2022. She noted that the first cohort of the Tech Academy kicked off on July 4, 2022, with more than 50 male and female participants. She acknowledged the Main Sponsor, PwC, and the other sponsors and Partners, including Dataflex Nigeria Limited, Department of International Trade, HerVest, The Nest Innovation Park, CWG, and Heckerbella, for their invaluable support. 

"The fact that we had more applications from the gentlemen further highlights the need to be more purposeful in drawing more women to STEM fields," she said. Preparing them ahead for the task in the coming years, Charles Uche Emembolu – CEO of Crestsage Limited, encouraged them to be proactive, work for impact, continue to learn, network, volunteer, communicate, be consistent, and stay on track. 

He further emphasized their need to seek out mentors for career guidance. Of the initial 50 students who underwent 3 months of intensive training in Data Analytics, Product Management, and UI/UX Design, 30 successfully graduated after fulfilling all requirements. 

Edeze Chibueze Peter (Data Analytics) – one of the participants, said, "The Nigerian-British Chambers of Commerce Programming Academy provided me with the opportunity to view the business. The confidence I gained from the program and the professional marketing value with prospective employers are unparalleled. The value was worth the rigorous processes". 

Delivering the Valedictory speech on behalf of his colleagues, Frank Okafor – The Best Graduating student (Product Management), stated that "Months before the training, we had little or no knowledge about the programme we were about to be engaged in. 

We walked into this room as novices with little or no experience, but today we have been equipped to take over the world of tech…." The Tech Academy was established to mentor and train young people in Nigeria, particularly women, to provide them with the necessary technical skills as part of the Chamber's effort to promote economic growth and accelerate technology adoption. The next cohort of the NBCC Academy is scheduled to commence in March 2023. Attendance at the Academy is free, made possible through the generosity of the Sponsors.