From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
A Kaduna-based technological innovation training hub, Ihifix Digital Academy, has successfully graduated 40 young people in software development, product design, and data analytics after months of intensive training.
The graduates, who included secondary school leavers, undergraduates, bankers, and housewives, were tasked with identifying a problem in their surroundings and solving it using their IT skills as part of their graduation requirements.
Notable projects by the students included:
Diety: An app to simplify meal planning for individuals with specific dietary needs.
Rental App: Enhances rental property management by streamlining tenant-landlord communication, rent payments, and maintenance management.
TradeCrafts: A platform supporting young artisans and entrepreneurs by showcasing their handmade creations and providing access to mentorship.
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Speaking at the event, the Academy’s Founder, Emmanuel Adikpe, noted that the graduates were job-ready and could apply their skills wherever they found themselves.
“We will not stop until you get a job. Learning is not the end. Learning precedes earning. Make productive use of what you have learned. You will be working as interns with the academy pending the time your services will be required elsewhere,” he said.
“Graduating from Ihifix Digital Academy marks the beginning of a new chapter. These graduates are now equipped with in-demand skills and ready to make their mark in the tech industry,” he added.
“Ihifix Digital Academy is more than just an institution; it is a community dedicated to fostering future leaders through technology and education. Our flexible learning model accommodates busy schedules, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” he remarked.
The Keynote Speaker at the graduation ceremony, Dr. John Aliu, told the graduating students to embrace the “spirit of entrepreneurship.”
He emphasized the need for graduates to believe in their craft, set the right goals, be innovative, and be persistent because “failure cannot live with persistence, and you are too loaded to be wasted.”
One of the graduating students, Fatima Mohamed Kabir, 19, a mathematics student from Kaduna State University and a graduate in software engineering, said the program had significantly impacted her life.
“I’m confident I will become self-employed because I now have the requisite skill set,” she said.
16-year-old data analyst Jonathan Chris, whose final project won the best award, joined Ihifix after completing his school leaving certificate examination.
“I joined Ihifix because I love research and building dashboards. It was a great opportunity for me to understand the field better. I’ve been able to build a community for myself on X as a data analyst and won the best innovative project in data analytics at Ihifix,” he said.
