By Kazeem Waris
Kogi State Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Asiwaju Asiru Idris, has sponsored an artificial intelligence (AI) and technology training programme across five local government areas in Kogi West, combining digital skills development with grassroots political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The programme, organised through the Tinubu/Ododo 2027 Continuity Support Group, targeted participants, particularly young people, introducing them to emerging digital technologies and their applications in education, business, employment and personal development.
The training covered Yagba East, Yagba West, Mopa-Amuro, Kabba-Bunu and Ijumu local government areas, with sessions held in Isanlu, Egbe and other locations across the constituencies.
The programme began in Isanlu, headquarters of Yagba East, before moving to Titcom College Hall in Egbe, Yagba West, and subsequently extending to Mopa-Amuro, Kabba-Bunu and Ijumu.
Organisers reported encouraging participation across the locations, with attendance at the Yagba East session increasing considerably between the first and second days.
A former Head of Service and Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo on Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Elijah Evenemi, attended the session in Kabba-Bunu, where he advised participants and presented certificates.
The final phase of the programme took place in Iyara, headquarters of Ijumu Local Government Area.
The initiative was designed to bring digital learning closer to communities and familiarise participants with AI tools that could support research, content creation, business promotion and other everyday activities.
Idris is the visioner and chief sponsor of the Tinubu/Ododo 2027 Continuity Support Group, which is mobilising support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ododo in 2027, alongside All Progressives Congress candidates contesting other elective positions.
By combining technology training with political engagement, the group sought to provide participants with opportunities to acquire practical digital knowledge while advancing its grassroots mobilisation activities.
The initiative comes amid broader efforts by the Kogi State Government to promote youth empowerment and skills acquisition.
In August 2024, the state government announced the Kogi Youth Database platform to document young people’s skills, talents and aspirations and connect them with available opportunities.
The Ododo administration has also supported vocational and technical training in areas including software development, computer networking, solar power installation, welding and fabrication.
However, the AI training sponsored by Idris is separate from the state government’s programmes, although both initiatives focus on expanding access to skills and opportunities.
The long-term impact of the training will depend on participants’ ability to practise the skills acquired and apply them to their education, businesses and career development.
