What we do
Founded in August 2003, the Jim Ovia Foundation is a non-profit organisation that aims to foster social and educational inclusion through the upliftment of underserved youths through the support of educational scholarships and ICT empowerment programs in Nigeria.
Why Education and ICT?
The Jim Ovia Foundation recognises that lack of quality education and poverty are intrinsically linked, and as such, the Foundation has embarked on the critical issue of closing the economic gaps created by these lags.
In fact, the educational and digital gap is vast, wide and concerning in an age when formal and digital literacy are entry level requirements for most corporate positions. The lacking infrastructure and financing has attributed to the decline of well-trained local talent to support the business landscape.
It is important to note that youths make up a vast majority of the world’s population and therefore play a crucial role in the production and consumption patterns of our global world. Furthermore, in less than three (3) generations, 41% of the world's youth will be Africans, of which Nigerians make up 1/6th of that demography. Additionally, 43% of Nigerian youths are below the age of 35 years while 60% have attained at least a secondary level education with only 32% having access to the internet, and only about one-third owning a cell phone. These statistics indicate a social and economic challenge that can be addressed with the right empowerment approach.
We believe that ultimately, our economic advantage and competitiveness as a country will be dependent on equipping our millennials with the necessary competitive skills. It is the mission of the Jim Ovia Foundation to break the marginalization cycle with skills development thereby facilitating underserved youths' integration into the formal labor market and competitive global economy.