Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) is a social enterprise focused on bridging the gap between less privileged Nigerian Youth and Information Communication Technology (ICT) opportunities. As part of its socio-economic development projects, PIN reaches out to students in tertiary institutions by providing them with knowledge useful for developing an ICT-oriented entrepreneurial mindset.
The T.E.N.T. workshop is a platform to showcase, connect, add-value and inspire participants. The event helps students to build and share their technological ideas, fine-tune them through constructive criticism and obtain expert advice on how to create market value for them
The North Central edition of the 2014 Techie.Entrepreneurial.Nigerian.Talented. (T.E.N.T.) workshop was recently held at the University of Ilorin where students from University of Ilorin, Kwara State University and Federal Polytechnic, Offa. The two-day workshop which took place on 17th and 18th September, 2014 provided learning opportunities through presentations and interactive sessions with students who are currently working on tech ideas.
The first day of the workshop allowed the facilitators to discuss the need for students to take advantage of the ICT opportunities in the face of growing unemployment. Facilitators at this edition of the 2014 T.E.N.T workshop were Paradigm Initiative Nigeria’s ‘Gbenga Sesan, Olamide Egbayelo (Digital Media Manager) and ‘Debola Agbaje (Project Manager, T.E.N.T./Digital Jobs).
Twenty-five students who are currently developing ICT based ideas attended the second day of the workshop, following a selection process on the first day of the workshop. Participants made a presentation on their projects. Some of the projects were: PIN provided feedback and shared support opportunities with the students. This was followed by a students’ peer-review session aimed at evaluating and analyzing each other’s ideas.
The North Central edition of PIN’s T.E.N.T. workshop was sponsored by Microsoft.
PIN Executive Director, ‘Gbenga Sesan announced that the 2014 edition of the T.E.N.T. Gathering will be hosted by Benson Idahosa University, Benin City from November 18-20. According to him, “the Big Plan on T.E.N.T. is to work with tertiary institutions to become the ICT talent hub for Africa, the same way tertiary institutions in the US Silicon Valley have laid a foundation for technology innovation”. He further emphasised that “the theme of the third annual T.E.N.T. Gathering will be ‘See the Need, Take the Lead’. As usual, T.E.N.T. Gathering participants from across Nigeria will benefit from keynote addresses by leading experts, presentations by techies and entrepreneurs, panel discussion with young start-up founders and the exciting contests- ‘Clash of the Campuses’. This year’s contest promises to be different and attracts mouth-watering prizes. T.E.N.T. seeks to ensure that students graduate with tech businesses or skills and not just CVs. We strongly believe that with students who ‘See the Need’ have a better opportunity to ‘Take the Lead’ in their respective areas of focus”.
If you would like more information about this topic or further project description on TENT; please visit www.pinigeria.org/tent. To schedule an interview with Mr. ‘Gbenga Sesan (Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria), please call ‘Debola on +234-1-342 62 45 or mail adebola.agbaje@pinigeria.org