The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. (Mrs) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has commended the founders of SAIL Empowerment Foundation, Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, FCA, and his wife, Mrs Feyisola Abiru, for establishing the SAIL Innovation Lab, which has empowered hundreds of young people with digital and technology skills, describing the facility as a glimpse into Nigeria’s future.

Dabiri-Erewa made the remarks during a visit to the iconic SAIL Innovation Lab in Ikorodu on Monday. Expressing her admiration for what she saw at the facility, the NiDCOM CEO said the environment and innovation taking place at SAIL reminded her of Silicon Valley, the global hub of technology and innovation.

“I thought I was in Silicon Valley. This is the future. You must get out there to compete,” the NiDCOM boss charged participants at the facility.

She described Senator Abiru’s intervention as a forward-looking human capital investment whose full significance would become increasingly evident in the years ahead.

“What Senator Abiru is doing won’t be much appreciated until the near future,” she said, adding that the initiative demonstrated his capacity to think ahead and prepare young people for the demands of a digital and technology-driven world.

Dabiri-Erewa further praised Senator Abiru for deploying his endowment to create sustainable opportunities for young people through technology and digital skills.

“You are a thinker. You are taking us into the future,” she told the Senator.

She also expressed the readiness of NiDCOM to collaborate with the SAIL Innovation Lab and support initiatives that expand opportunities for Nigerian youths. “We will be glad to work with you,” she said.

The NiDCOM CEO said the youth-focused interventions being implemented through Senator Abiru’s endowment aligned with the broader objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in the areas of human capital development, digital skills acquisition and youth empowerment.

“All your efforts in providing sustainable empowerment for young people through tech and digital skills, through your endowment, are well appreciated. They all align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. You are making us proud,” she said.