New Horizons launches Almajiri-to-Tech initiative, invests N50m to train 21 youths

New Horizons launches Almajiri-to-Tech initiative, invests N50m to train 21 youths

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Chief Executive Officer of New Horizons Nigeria, Tim Akano, has unveiled the Almajiri-to-Tech initiative, a skills development programme designed to transform 21 Almajiris into certified computer technicians within 90 days, as part of efforts to tackle youth unemployment and boost Nigeria’s human capital.

Speaking at the launch of the programme on Monday, January 19, 2026, Akano said New Horizons Nigeria is investing ₦50 million in the pilot project, covering the full cost of training, feeding, clothing, logistics and work tools for all the participants.

He described the initiative as the beginning of “a new journey in the history of Nigeria,” noting that the original concept of the Almajiri system was rooted in knowledge-seeking and character formation before it was disrupted by colonial policies.

According to Akano, the word Almajiri is derived from an Arabic term meaning an emigrant and seeker of knowledge, a system that dates back to the 11th century during the Borno Empire, long before colonial rule.

“At that time, children were taken to seek knowledge, morals and responsibility so they could add value to society. The crisis began when colonial authorities stopped funding the system between 1903 and 1906,” Akano said.

He explained that the withdrawal of funding forced Almajiri children into street begging for survival, a situation that has worsened over the decades due to population growth.

Akano warned that with an estimated 15 million Almajiris and a population growth rate of about three per cent annually, Nigeria faces a serious social and economic threat if the issue is not urgently addressed.

“If we do not solve this problem as a country, we are sitting on a time bomb,” he said, adding that successfully empowering Almajiris with skills could add about 15 million people to Nigeria’s workforce and potentially boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product by as much as $20 billion.

He stressed that productivity depends on skills, which informed New Horizons’ decision to focus on hands-on technical training rather than theory.

The trainees, he said, will learn practical skills such as repairing mobile phones, laptops, televisions, radios, standing fans and other electronic devices, as well as building inverter batteries using recycled electronic waste.

“We are not teaching theory. We are teaching practical skills you can use to earn a living,” Akano told the participants.

He assured the trainees that the programme would not interfere with their Quranic education, noting that provisions have been made for prayer and religious activities alongside the technical training.

“We are putting computers on top of Quranic education, not replacing it,” he said.

Akano added that the trainees would receive free meals, water, training kits and T-shirts identifying them as technicians-in-training throughout the programme.

He said the initiative is fully funded by New Horizons as a 100 per cent scholarship, noting that the organisation has spent the past 21 years training about 100,000 Nigerians annually in information technology and related skills.

Reflecting on his journey, Akano said he left his job at Coca-Cola over two decades ago to address Nigeria’s shortage of IT professionals, a challenge he believes New Horizons has largely helped to solve.

He said the Almajiri-to-Tech initiative is part of a broader vision to remove “human genius from the streets” and convert it into productive human capital, while also preparing Nigeria for the future of artificial intelligence.

Akano expressed optimism that the success of the pilot programme would demonstrate that with the right information, opportunity and infrastructure, any child can learn and succeed.

“What can be taught can be learned,” he said, urging national support for initiatives that turn vulnerable youths into contributors to economic growth.