The founder and Chief Executive Officer of ENGAUSA Global Tech Hub Ltd, Engr. Mustapha Habu Ringim, has received an award recognising his contribution to the development of Kano State’s Orange Economy.

The award was presented during the Senior Executive Course 48 (2026) study tour of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, to Kano State.

The study tour, held on August 13, 2026, at the Kano State Government House, was themed, “Economic Diversification and National Development: Leveraging the Orange Economy and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Growth in Nigeria.”

Ringim, who also presented a paper titled “Transforming the Youths through Entrepreneurship Development,” highlighted entrepreneurship, practical skills development, innovation and digital literacy as key pathways to empowering young Nigerians and promoting sustainable economic growth.

He said the theme of the study tour aligned with ENGAUSA’s work over the past six years in developing industry-relevant skills, nurturing entrepreneurship, promoting innovation and creating opportunities for young people to participate in the digital and creative economy.

A key part of the organisation’s approach, he said, was the use of mother-tongue learning to localise digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy and make emerging technologies more accessible to underserved communities.

“Language should not be a barrier to participation in the Orange Economy. Rather, local languages can serve as powerful vehicles for transferring digital and AI knowledge,” Ringim said.

He added that combining indigenous knowledge and creativity with digital skills, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies such as AI could enable young people to transform cultural and creative assets into commercially viable products and sustainable enterprises.

According to him, Nigeria’s creativity, culture, fashion, food, music, film, photography, design, digital content and crafts should be seen not only as expressions of identity but also as economic resources capable of generating wealth, employment and sustainable businesses.

Speaking on ENGAUSA’s impact, Ringim said the organisation’s six-year report showed that 9,120 trainees and apprentices had been trained, while more than 700 startups and small and medium-sized enterprises had been incubated and accelerated.

He added that the organisation’s programmes had contributed to the creation of more than 10,978 jobs.

Ringim said ENGAUSA had grown from a small cubicle into two large training centres in Kano, in addition to its online learning platform, ENGAUSA Academy, which provides distance learning and access to internationally recognised AI certifications through its partnership with AI CERTs.

He said training participation increased from 63 people in 2019 to 3,275 in 2025, attributing the growth to expanded course offerings, improved teaching methods and referrals from beneficiaries.

He, however, said the figures represented only part of the organisation’s impact, noting that the real measure was the transformation experienced by its beneficiaries.

According to him, ENGAUSA’s podcast features firsthand accounts from graduates who have moved from unemployment, underemployment and informal livelihoods to becoming skilled professionals, entrepreneurs and employers of labour.

He said the beneficiaries included Almajiris, out-of-school children and persons with disabilities who had acquired technology skills and were now participating in the digital economy.

Ringim said Nigeria needed an ecosystem where young people could identify opportunities, acquire relevant skills, access technology and markets, protect their intellectual property and build sustainable enterprises.

“I believe the Orange Economy should be viewed not simply as a cultural or entertainment sector, but as an important component of human capital development, entrepreneurship, innovation, digital transformation and economic diversification,” he said.

He expressed appreciation to the Kano State Government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and NIPSS for providing a platform for practitioners, policymakers and strategic leaders to discuss entrepreneurship, youth development and the Orange Economy.

Ringim described the award as a collective recognition of the contributions of the ENGAUSA team, instructors, trainees, apprentices, entrepreneurs, partners and supporters to the organisation’s growth.

“The award presented to me is not merely a personal recognition. I receive it on behalf of the entire ENGAUSA family,” he said.

The study tour was led by Brig. Gen. L.A. Jimoh, MNI, while Mrs Afolake Abubakar Lawal, Treasurer of SEC 48 Group One, was among the participants.

The Director-General of the Kano State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (KASITDA), Dr Bashir Abdullahi Muzakkari, as well as representatives of Kannywood, also attended the event.

The tour formed part of NIPSS’s broader programme of exposing participants to practical, home-grown experiences and solutions relevant to economic diversification, entrepreneurship and national development.