Nine years after instituting its student-based corporate social responsibility project, Nigerian international creative agency, X3M Ideas, has consistently used its initiatives to galvanise support for the development of youth in Lagos.
Speaking at the commissioning of a newly revamped science laboratory at the Oregun Junior High School in Lagos, CEO X3M Ideas, Steve Babaeko said, “Over 40% of the roughly 200 million residents in Nigeria, Africa’s most-populous country, are youths. Confident, fervid and enterprising, they want to chart their own course and are hopeful for the future of the nation.
“Considering how important STEM is to the growth and development of Nigeria, the number of graduates in scientific disciplines is horribly low. We’re aiming to drive a change in this regard by enabling the science-related dreams of the students in Oregun Junior High.”
“We recognise the importance of the youth in the future of our great nation and empowering them has become a goal for us at X3M Ideas.
“As a product of the public school system in Nigeria, I recognize the importance in empowering students, enabling their dreams, bolstering their confidence and giving them renewed hope for a better tomorrow,’’ Steve added.
Since X3M Ideas commemorated its first anniversary in 2012 by renovating a well-equipped block of five classrooms at Opebi Junior High School, the agency has continued to build on the achievement.
“As Nigeria’s population grows, the youth population almost doubles and so does the rate of youth unemployment. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics reveal that Nigeria’s about 21,764,614 (21.7 million) Nigerians remain unemployed.
“The data also reveals the worst-hit are Nigerian youths with over 13.9 million currently unemployed. This is a sore spot for Nigeria and that is why projects like ours are important to give Nigerian youth a chance at a better future,” Steve said.
“This is why we need to not only encourage them but also guide them as they chart the course to determine their future.
“We will continue to support students in our immediate environment even as we encourage other corporate bodies to join in as we help to build the future of our great country,” Steve concluded.
As part of his remarks at the event, Steve commended the Lagos State Government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for always being supportive of the agencies initiatives year on year, “This is our ninth year in business and every year we launch a new CSR initiative with the Lagos State Government in tow, showing their full support.”
