Hot SourceFunmi Ogundare
The Del-York Creative Academy, an arm of Del-York Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yaba College of Technology (YabaTech) to provide 10,000 students with training in digital creativity, animation, and post-production under the Youths in Animation and Post-Production Initiative (YAPPI), supported by the MasterCard Foundation.
The partnership, signed recently at Del-York’s Victoria Island office in Lagos, is designed to bridge the gap between technical education and the global creative industry, while opening up opportunities for Nigerian youths to thrive in the $600 billion global animation and content creation market.
Speaking at the signing, Del-York Group’s Chief Operating Officer and YAPPI Programme Lead, Mr. Ikenna Ogweike, described the initiative as more than a training programme, but a talent pipeline to position African youths as global competitors.
“Africa has long been a consumer of global creative content, but seldom a major player in its production. Our stories have been told to us by others, like in the case of Black Panther’s Wakanda, but not built by Africans. YAPPI is here to change that,” he said.
He explained that Nigeria currently contributes less than two per cent to the global animation market, a figure YAPPI hopes to transform by training 60,000 young people in five years.
The programme also provides access to mentorship, job placements, international collaborations and single-digit loans through FCMB for graduates to launch startups in the creative sector.
The Rector of the college, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, described the collaboration as a milestone in the institution’s mission to combine technical expertise with creative innovation.
“This partnership is about equipping young people with skills that guarantee employability and also position them as creators and entrepreneurs in the digital space. As Nigeria’s first higher institution, Yabatech is uniquely placed to lead in this sector,” he said.
The Director of the Centre for Linkages, Partnership and International Relations at Yabatech, Dr. Mosud Ajala, who facilitated the collaboration, emphasised that the programme would empower 10,000 students, particularly women, with free creative-tech training in digital art, animation and content creation.
He added that YAPPI’s model of combining online and on-site training with mentorship and industry placements ensures inclusivity, with special focus on women and persons with disabilities.
With this partnership, both institutions aim to place Nigerian youths at the forefront of the global creative economy while addressing unemployment through skills that drive entrepreneurship and global competitiveness.
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