Del-York Creative Academy, an arm of Dell Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to empower 10,000 students of Yaba College of Technology in digital creativity, animation and post-production initiative.
The partnership, signed in the Board Room of Del York office at Victoria Island in Lagos, is aimed at bridging the gap between technical education and global creative industry demands and to expand opportunities for Nigerian youths in digital creativity, animation and post-production.
The programme is under its Youths in Animation and Post-Production Initiative (YAPPI), supported by the MasterCard Foundation.
Speaking at the signing of the MoU, the Chief Operating Officer of Del-York Group and YAPPI Programme Lead, Mr. Ikenna Ogweike, disclosed that YAPPI is more than just a training programme but designed as a pipeline to create a generation of African talents that can compete in global markets.
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He noted that Africa has long been a consumer of global creative content, but seldom a major player in its production as "our stories have been told to us by others like in the case of Black Panther's Wakanda, but not built by Africans" which YAPPI is set to changing the narrative.
According to him, "with Nigeria currently contributing less than two percent (2%) to the global animation market, the program sees itself as a catalyst to shift that statistic, transforming the nation into a digital outsourcing hub comparable to India's success in IT and business process outsourcing; launched with the bold target of training 60,000 young people within five years.
The programme he said, has created pathways for mentorship and employment, intentionally linking graduates to job placements, freelance opportunities, and international collaborations as "we are not just training them and leaving them on their own, but preparing them for the global job market" and can access single-digit interest loans at First City Monumental Bank (FCMB) to launch startups and creative ventures - a rare opportunity in a financial climate where rates often hover near 30%.
The collaboration, according to the Rector, Dr Adedotun Abdul, came at a time when the institution is actively pursuing international linkages to boost research, technical training and innovation and to leverage its strong manpower base, vibrant student population and institutional credibility to maximize the impact of the programme.
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The Director, Centre for Linkages, Partnership and International Relations (CLPIR), Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Mosud Ajala, who facilitated the partnership, said the initiative would empower 10,000 students of the college, especially women, with no-cost creative-tech training.
