With youth unemployment in Nigeria estimated at over 40% and internet access hovering around 38% nationwide, the demand for skills development and economic opportunities has never been more urgent.

As the digital economy expands-projected to account for over 60% of new jobs in emerging markets-one social entrepreneur is determined to ensure young Nigerians are not left behind. Abdulrasaq Ahmed Abiodun, a PhD candidate in Computer Science at Al-Hikmah University, is the founder of the new N35 million Craft Innovation Hub in Agbo Oba, Ilorin, set to launch by August 2025.

The community-driven centre will offer tech and creative skills training, alongside a media and podcast studio, to nurture talent, inspire innovation, and transform lives. A journalist interviewed Abdulrasaq to discuss his vision, the hub's mission, and his aspirations for Ilorin's youth.

Q: Abdulrasaq, your passion for youth development is evident. Tell us about your personal journey. What experiences led you to champion the cause of empowering young people and eventually create the Craft Innovation Hub?

A: Thank you. My journey really started here in Ilorin. I grew up seeing so many talented young people around me, friends, neighbors, classmates who had big dreams but few opportunities. Even as I pursued my education in computer science, earning my MSc with distinction from AlHikmah University, Ilorin and now doing a PhD, I never forgot those faces and stories. I've been fortunate to work on exciting tech projects and gain a quality education, but not everyone is so lucky. Some of my peers struggled to find jobs or direction, and that stuck with me. I realized early on that youth development isn't just a professional interest for me; it's deeply personal. I know what it feels like to be a young Nigerian with potential and to just need someone to believe in you or guide you. Over the years, I've volunteered as a mentor and taught coding classes informally, and each experience reinforced why this matters when a young person discovers their talent or learns a new skill, it's like watching a light come on. I wanted to see that light in every young person in my community. That motivation to give back to the city that raised me and to help others climb up is really what led to the Craft Innovation Hub. It's the culmination of my own journey and a reflection of the belief that if we invest in our youth, we invest in the future of Ilorin and Nigeria.

Q: How did the Craft Innovation Hub come into existence? What's the origin story, and what makes this centre stand out? There are other training centers out there, so what is unique about Craft Innovation Hub by design or mission?

A: It's more than just a name. It's a statement. "Craft" represents the art of doing, of building, and of mastering skills. "Innovation" speaks to modernity, creativity, and relevance. We are not just teaching skills we are shaping innovators, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and job-ready professionals who can compete globally while building locally. I kept seeing the same gaps brilliant minds who just hadn't been exposed to practical skills or modern technology, or who felt cut off from the opportunities of the digital age. Ienvisioned a physical space in the heart of Ilorin where learning would be hands-on, mentorship-driven, and accessible to all. I deliberately designed the Hub not to feel like a traditional classroom or a corporate office, but like a creative community space colorful labs, an open-door policy, areas for collaboration, and even a cafe corner where people can network informally.

What truly makes Craft Innovation Hub unique is its identity: we're not just a tech incubator, and not just a vocational center, it's a hybrid of both, tailored to our community's needs. We often say "not everyone will make it through tech, and that's okay". By that I mean, we recognize that while some youth will become programmers or engineers, others might find their passion in graphic design, or audio production, or entrepreneurship. And that's perfectly fine,society needs all these skills. So our Hub's philosophy is inclusivity. Whether a young person is into coding or baking, robotics or writing, we want them to feel at home and supported.

We combine high-tech training with creative and non-tech skill acquisition under one roof. I believe that's a first in our area. You'll see a student learning web development in one room, and next door someone might be learning about personal branding or practicing public speaking. That melting pot of skills and people gives the Hub its special flavor.

Q: Let's talk about the skills training. How exactly does the Hub equip young people with monetizable skills that can lead to freelancing or employment? What kind of programs do you offer to ensure the training translates into real income opportunities?

A: Great question. We're very intentional that every skill we teach can help someone earn a living. It's not just about learning, it's about earning and building a career. On the tech side, we offer in-demand digital skills courses: web design and development, data analysis, digital marketing, graphic design, and even what we call "Freelancing Mastery", essentially how to navigate platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to get gigs. We don't stop at just technical skills, though. We also train in soft skills and business skills that are crucial for employment. For example, we have workshops on business communication, where youths learn how to write professional emails, communicate ideas clearly, or present themselves confidently in interviews. We have sessions on personal branding and basic financial literacy for freelancers, because if you start earning online, you need to know how to manage your money and brand yourself to clients.

One of our signature approaches is blending instruction with practice. If you learn web design from us, you won't just get theory; you'll build real websites as projects and even collaborate with local businesses to get that real-world experience. Similarly, those learning digital marketing might practice by running actual social media campaigns for a community initiative. And alongside the hard skills, we emphasize job readiness.

We provide support in very practical ways, reviewing participants' CVs, conducting mock job interviews, and teaching portfolio building. I often share my own freelancing experiences, the mistakes I made early on, so they can learn from them. And we bring in mentors,successful freelancers and industry professionals to guide our students. The end goal is that each person leaves with a tangible skill set and the know-how to monetize those skills, whether by getting a good job or by becoming self-employed. We want our alumni to start earning, even if modestly, as soon as possible because that first earned income does wonders for a young person's confidence and can kick-start bigger things.

Q: The centre notably includes a media and podcast studio, which is not something you find in every innovation hub. How did that become part of the project, and what role do you see it playing in helping youth find their voice?

A: I'm glad you asked about that the media and podcast studio is one of my favorite parts of the Hub. We included it because empowerment isn't only about hard skills like coding or design; it's also about expression and confidence. Our youth have stories to tell, opinions to share, talents in music, drama, and debate but they often lack a platform. The idea behind the podcast studio is to give them that platform. It's a small but well-equipped space with microphones, cameras, and editing tools where young people can create content and literally have their voices heard.

I envision a few ways this helps: First, it builds communication skills. When a shy young man starts a podcast interviewing local entrepreneurs, for instance, you can imagine how his interviewing and speaking abilities improve over time. Or a group of students might record a roundtable discussion on issues affecting Nigerian youth in doing so, they learn to articulate ideas, listen to others, and broadcast a message. Second, the studio can spark new interests and career paths. Not everyone will be a software developer; some might discover a passion for journalism, media production, or even comedy skits for YouTube. We already have interest from a few aspiring local DJs and YouTubers who want to use the space to refine their craft.

The studio also serves as a tool for amplifying youth voices in the community. We plan to host a Hub podcast where our students will discuss what they're learning and interview community leaders. Imagine a parent hearing their child speak confidently on air about positive change, it can transform how the youth see themselves and how society views them. Ultimately, the media studio is about storytelling and self-expression. It's saying to our youth: your voice matters, and we're providing a microphone (literally) so you can use it. In a society where young people often feel unheard, that's incredibly empowering.

Q: The Hub is described as a social-impact, community-focused centre. I understand you're collaborating with NGOs and organizing community seminars. Can you elaborate on these aspects? How are NGOs involved, and what kinds of community education or outreach do you do through the Hub?

A: Absolutely. From the beginning, we've recognised that partnerships are vital to scaling our impact. As we move towards our August launch, we're actively engaging with NGOs, corporate social responsibility departments, and community-based organisations to build a strong ecosystem. A big part of this involves scholarship and sponsorship frameworks. We're developing a sponsorship pool through craft.ng where well-meaning individuals and institutions can directly support youth participation.

This ensures that financial challenges won't exclude eager learners from our programmes. We're also finalising plans with NGOs that want to host community-based sessions within our space, or use our facilities to extend their outreach. The response has been heartening. It proves that when you create a transparent and purpose-driven model, people and organisations want to align. We're very optimistic that by August, we will have solidified some of these partnerships as part of our inaugural programmes.

Our team also does outreach. We go out to secondary schools, for instance, to give career talks and let students know early that resources like the Hub exist for them.

We've run a few free coding bootcamp days in some neighborhoods, kind of like a roadshow just to spark interest and show what's possible. All these activities, whether through NGOs or our own outreach, tie back to our community transformation goals: we want to change mindsets, spread knowledge, and build a network of informed, inspired youth across Ilorin. It's not just about the individuals we train, but creating a ripple effect where those individuals become change agents in their peer groups and families. Every seminar or collaboration is planting a seed of positive change in the community.

Q: It sounds like a lot is happening! Could you give some concrete examples of the types of skills or courses a young person can learn at Craft Innovation Hub? I know it's not limited to tech alone, which is great for inclusivity.

A: Certainly. We've touched on many of them, but to paint a clearer picture: a young person might enroll in Web Design and learn how to build modern, responsive websites from scratch. Another might take Digital Marketing, covering social media strategy, content creation, and SEO (search engine optimization) very useful for any small business today. We have Graphic Design & Brandingcourses, where creative youths learn to use design tools to create logos, posters, and brand identities; this often appeals to those with an artistic flair. Under our non-tech offerings, we include Business Communication and Etiquette, Painting, furniture training basically professional skills that help in any workplace, like effective communication, teamwork, and time management. And thanks to our media studio, we also have a Creative Media track: a blend of photography, basic video production, and podcasting skills. This is for the storytellers and those who want to create content, whether it's shooting better photos for a blog or editing a short documentary.

Importantly, students can mix and match. We encourage a bit of interdisciplinary learning. For instance, someone doing web development might also sit in on a branding class, because knowing design principles will make them a more well-rounded web developer. Or a student learning photography might take the business communication class to help them market their services. We try to cater to the whole individual building a toolkit of multiple skills that complement each other. And we keep updating our course list based on what skills are in demand.

Tech and creative fields evolve quickly, so the plan is to stay agile. Next year, if there's demand for, say, mobile app development or animation, we will introduce those. The unique mix of tech and creative courses under one roof plus the soft skills layered in, is something we're proud of. It means whether you're inclined toward computing or the arts, or a bit of both, you can find your path here.

Q: The Hub's ambition is clearly high. I recall seeing that you aim to train over 500 youths and women in the first year and boost local entrepreneurship. For people reading this who might want to support or get involved be it young people, parents, volunteers, or sponsors what invitation or advice would you extend to them?

A: We do have big goals training 500+ youths in year one, creating new jobs, fostering startups and we know we can't do it alone. My invitation is really to the entire community: this is your Hub, so come be a part of it. For young people, my message is don't hesitate - step forward. Whether you're a student, a NYSC corps member, or even if you dropped out of school, you are welcome here. Come take a course, attend a free seminar, use the workspace or the internet facilities we have. The first step is to show up with an open mind, and we'll guide you from there.

For parents and guardians, I encourage you to support your youths in exploring these opportunities. Sometimes parents are skeptical of non-traditional paths, but I assure you, the skills we teach be it digital or creative can translate into real careers and businesses. It can be a game-changer for a family when a young one gains a skill and starts earning.

Now, to volunteers and professionals in the community: we need you as well. If you have expertise maybe you're a software developer, an accountant, a photographer, anything consider volunteering a bit of your time to mentor or teach a workshop. One hour a week can make a huge difference in a youth's life. We have a structured volunteer program (with background checks and orientation) to plug professionals into our training and mentorship. It's a fulfilling way to give back.

And to potential partners local businesses, NGOs, government agencies, and philanthropists our doors are open for collaboration. Whether it's sponsoring a group of trainees, offering internship placements at your company, donating equipment, or funding an expansion of our programs, any support goes a long way. We've been incredibly blessed by the community spirit so far, and we invite more partners to join this movement. As I often say, the Craft Innovation Hub isn't just an organization, it's a community project. Everyone who contributes or participates becomes a stakeholder in the success story we're writing for Ilorin's youth.

Q: Finally, looking at the bigger picture, what is your vision for Ilorin and Nigeria at large, if initiatives like Craft Innovation Hub succeed? What do you dream of seeing in five or ten years as a result of empowering young people in this way?

A: This is the heart of it all. My vision is to see Ilorin transformed into a city of opportunity and innovation led by young people. In five to ten years, I imagine an Ilorin where it's completely normal for a young woman in Agbo Oba to run a successful online business servicing clients worldwide, or a young man from our program to have a start-up that employs others. I see our graduates driving a new wave of locally-owned tech firms, creative agencies, and social enterprises. If we do this right, Ilorin could become a model city showing how investing in youth can reduce unemployment, even reduce social ills, as more youth have hope and purpose.

On a national scale, I truly believe Nigeria's greatest asset is its youth. If hubs like ours, and many other educational initiatives, empower enough young Nigerians, the possibilities are endless. We could see a drop in our national unemployment rates and an increase in home-grown innovation. I like to envision a Nigeria where instead of our talented youths feeling they must leave the country to succeed, they find pathways to thrive right here and in turn create opportunities for others. Empowered young people are less likely to engage in crime or violence; instead, they become problem solvers in their communities. They become mentors, leaders, taxpayers, and nation-builders.

My dream is that in a decade, we'll hear countless success stories that trace back to this moment stories of individuals who came through Craft Innovation Hub (and similar centers) and went on to do remarkable things. Perhaps one will say, "I started a company that now employs 50 people," another might say "I developed a tech solution that's used across Africa," and another, "I became a community leader who's lifting others up." That ripple effect is how a community transforms. So, I see a future Ilorin and Nigeria that are vibrant, self-reliant, and brimming with young innovators and creators. It's a future where the narrative shifts from "youth as a challenge" to "youth as the driving force of our prosperity and progress." And every single empowered young person we produce brings us one step closer to that vision.

Q: Inspiring words. Thank you, Abdulrasaq, for sharing your story and your vision. The Craft Innovation Hub truly sounds like a beacon of hope and opportunity for our youth.

A: Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure, and I'm excited to see what we can all achieve together.