Mr Alexander Oseji, an Information Technology Expert, has called on Nigerian youths to convert social media activities into sustainable sources of income.
The expert also urged governments to invest in digital economy for a sustainable development and jobs creation for the teaming youths in the country.
Oseji, the co-founder of www.Hallos.Net, made the call on Tuesday in Enugu while briefing newsmen on the forthcoming Learning247 Hallos Summit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit is themed “Building the Creator Economy and Empowering Women in Tech.”
He noted that many Nigerians were unaware that the sector had become a booming industry.
According to Oseji, the creator economy is a fast-growing industry creating millions of jobs globally.
“But many Nigerian youths merely engage in social media activities without converting them into sustainable sources of income.
“The creator economy is a fast-paced industry that is creating millions of jobs, yet many of our youths only catch cruise on social media without turning it into a viable means of livelihood”.
He explained that the summit was designed to spark conversations and collaborations around the creator economy.
He said the summit would also address the urgent need to equip women and girls with relevant technology skills for the future and improve digital literacy among youths.
“This summit will bring together government leaders, media professionals, private sector stakeholders, sponsors, lecturers, students and social influencers to explore how we can collectively shape a more inclusive digital economy,” he said.
He added that sensitising young people to the opportunities available in the digital industry, especially social media, was a shared responsibility.
“We have realised that not many people have been able to harness the industry from a revenue-driven perspective, and that is what we are bringing to the media,” Oseji said.
Oseji cited global market trends showing that the creator economy, currently valued at about $152 billion dollars, was projected to grow significantly by 2032.
He said: “People who plug into this industry today will be the multi-millionaires of the future.
“We need to reconsider this industry and also be creative by providing infrastructure such as studios, creator hubs and affordable internet access for youths”.
He noted that with a smartphone and internet access, young people could participate in the global economy without restrictions of location or time.
“That is why we built the Hallos platform to support young, budding creators by providing infrastructure that allows them to focus on content creation while the platform ensures they get value through monetisation and revenue,” Oseji explained.
He said the platform was designed for creators, digital entrepreneurs, remote workers and cultural exporters, enabling users to export local content and culture to a global audience.
According to him, the beauty of the internet is that local talent can be consumed anywhere in the world.
Oseji said the summit would target key tertiary institutions including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) and the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus among others.