{"id":1582,"date":"2013-04-06T06:34:14","date_gmt":"2013-04-06T06:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/canada-to-assist-nigeria-in-ict-others\/"},"modified":"2013-04-06T06:34:14","modified_gmt":"2013-04-06T06:34:14","slug":"canada-to-assist-nigeria-in-ict-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/canada-to-assist-nigeria-in-ict-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Canada to assist Nigeria in ICT, others"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Canadian government has said it is prepared to assist Nigeria in its bid to rank among the top economies in the world.<\/p>\n

High Commissioner Chris Cooter said this in Abuja at a press conference organised by the Nigeria High Commissioner to Canada, Mr. Ojo Madueke, on the forthcoming Nigeria-Canada Investment Forum.<\/p>\n

The theme of the conference which will hold next month in Toronto, Canada is: Canada-Nigeria Synergy for Vision 20:20.<\/p>\n

About 100 individuals and companies, including nine state governors, have so far indicated interest to participate in the conference.<\/p>\n

More than 400 participants from the public and private sectors, including government officials of both countries are also expected to take part in it.<\/p>\n

Nigeria is Canada\u2019s largest economic partner in sub-Sahara Africa, and trade between both countries have risen from $ 700 million in 2007 to about $ 3 billion in 2011.<\/p>\n

Cooter said Canada wants to invest in the future of Nigeria so as to help the country diversify its economy.<\/p>\n

He said his country was looking at the possibility of assisting Nigeria to develop her youth in the area of information and communication technology (ICT), vocational training, education and other sectors.<\/p>\n

Cooter also added that Nigeria has the potential to emerge among the top economies of the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are ready to partner with Nigeria to remedy some of those issues. Weare building for the future,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Madueke said 100 million youths are the target of the bilateral relationship, which he said would lead to industrial revolution in the country.<\/p>\n

The conference will feature a leading aircraft manufacturer-Bombardier, BlackBerry, and captains of Canadian industries.<\/p>\n

Madueke said: \u201cWith what Canada can offer, we will be able to ensure the demographic dividends of having a population of over 170 million people with over 65 per cent of them below the age of 18. We are looking at at least 100 million young people who are not up to 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said young labour force is the major determining factor for countries becoming great economies.<\/p>\n

According to him, \u201cCanada was in that state years ago. Industrial revolution in England was because of young labour force. No country was able to make that quantum leap without a young dynamic labour force, and that is where Nigeria is now. With more than 100 million young people, the young population is more than the aging population.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is demographic dividend. We want to make sure that demographic dividend does not become a demographic disaster. It could become a demographic disaster if growth is not determined by development\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: The Nation Newspaper<\/p>\n

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