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Access the brochure on the Technology Makers Lab project here.
 

In line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its goal of leaving no one behind, as well as relevant provisions of the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) in supporting youth skill development in least developed countries (LDCs), the Technology Bank prioritizes its support to science, technology and innovation (STI) capacity development for youth through strategically established national, regional and global capacity building initiatives.

Technology Bank works in partnership with but is not limited to, the Ministry of Industry and Technology of Turkey, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Scientific and Technological Research Institution of Turkey (TUBITAK) to establish the Technology Makers Lab, focusing on youth empowerment, capacity building and skill development. Niger is selected to be the first pilot LDC.

The Technology Makers Lab provides modern workshops where students can create projects which they are passionate about in an environment that fosters and encourages learning through experimentation. The aim of the Lab is to provide a non-specialist-friendly environment with access to sophisticated technologies for students to explore, learn and make technologies. The Lab supports the development of core STI skills, such as problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration and information processing skills as well as the ability to execute. Through the hands-on learning offered by the Lab, participating young people from the LDCs will deepen their understanding of key STI concepts and be able to develop the practical application of the STI-related knowledge in their day-to-day activities, while expanding their career potentials. Furthermore, the Lab will have a special focus on gender and promote girls' participation. 

The planned modules are:

• Design and production 
• Robotics and coding 
• Material science and nanotechnology 
• Software technology 
• Cybersecurity
• Electronic programming and the Internet of Things
• Energy technologies 
• Aviation and space technologies
• Artificial intelligence
• Mobile application

Background: the State of Youth in LDCs

The LDCs face a stark demographic challenge as about 60 per cent of the population is currently under 25 years old, and is projected to double to 1.7 billion by 2050. The LDC youth population (aged 15 to 24 years) is expected to soar from 168 million in 2010 to 300 million by 2050. The economic growth in most LDCs is lost to population growth because the youth in these LDCs have limited opportunities beyond swelling the informal economy. On one hand, such an important demographic composition underpins the high potential of LDCs in terms of the younger and more dynamic socio-economic structure. On the other hand, the same demographics also magnify evolving challenges in employment, quality of education, barriers in skill development, and access to opportunities which arise from the evolving economic destabilization of those countries.

Youth unemployment in LDCs is not only a constraint for LDCs to reach their potential but also an indirect negative contributing factor in social-economic destabilization by fostering marginalization and involvement of young people in violence. In this regard, developing youth-specific projects for supporting the development of their science, technology and innovation capacities in LDCs, is extremely relevant given the specific challenges of the LDCs in achieving their full potential. Within this context, the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) recognizes youth development issues among one of the priority focus areas, with a specific focus on young women, and aims to increase skill development opportunities as well as entrepreneurship development for the youth in LDCs.

First Pilot LDC: Niger

Challenges

Niger is a landlocked LDC in the arid Sahel region of West Africa. Most of the country's territory is sparsely populated or uninhabitable desert with a low population density (18 inhabitants per sq. km) and a very low rate of urbanization (more than 81 per cent of the population in Niger lives in rural areas). The country's population is young and growing rapidly. Around 50 per cent of Niger's estimated 20.7 million inhabitants are younger than 15 years old and 75 per cent are under 25. The current population growth rate is over 4 per cent with a particularly high rate of births to young mothers. This young population is predominantly under-employed with a literacy rate of only 29 per cent (15 per cent among young women). With a poverty rate of 44.1 per cent and a per capita annual income of just $420, Niger is one of the world’s poorest nations.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) report further states that the level of the population that has reached the primary level was significantly low, including the share of the population that has utilized and benefited from vocational training. Furthermore, the unemployment rate in Niger is also seen to be higher in comparison to other African countries in the region, which is further exacerbated by the low levels of completion of education.

To address these issues, the Technology Makers Lab will provide youth with the opportunity to obtain the required skills necessary for future education and employment opportunities, as well as contribute to the STI ecosystem in Niger. The training module content will allow students to gain experience in a wide range of STI areas and improve their career opportunities.

Government's support for STI development 

In line with the adopted national strategy, Niger expects to take full advantage of the digital transformation, which has the potential to impact all sectors of socio-economic life. The Government of Niger has developed a “Niger 2.0” Strategy, which defines the key pillars for sustainable development based on the anticipated dividends of the digital economy. Niger's ambition is to use digital infrastructures and services to modernize its economy, strengthen its growth, reinforce security, improve its governance and support efforts in key sectors including agriculture, access to financial services, health, education and youth entrepreneurship. The “Niger 2.0” Strategy is implemented under the leadership of the National Agency for the Information Society (ANSI), a presidential Agency designed to bring significant change. Directly reporting to the President's Office, ANSI is at the forefront of this ambitious project leading the national effort in a coordinated “whole-of-government” response around four main projects: E-government, Smart Villages, the city of innovation and technology and the creation of a technopole. The Technology Makers Lab project complements the vision of Niger's national development of innovation and technology.

The Lab will customize the planned activities according to the existing needs and gaps, as well as work in partnership with relevant local stakeholders in Niger to ensure effectiveness and sustainability.