In an attempt to woo the Nigerian youth, President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed his believe that the Nigerian youth can help build the country through valuable ideas just like Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs did.

Earlier, Jonathan had described Apple as a “knowledge based firm” and acknowledged the fact that the company overtook ExxonMobil as the world’s most valuable company.

According to President Jonathan,

Steve Jobs was a citizen of the world. Two months ago on this page, I opined that his idea which became Apple Inc had proved that ideas are more valuable than natural resources seeing as Apple Inc at that time overtook ExxonMobil as the world’s most valuable corporation.

I believe there are many Steve Jobs amongst our youth who would help build our country and add value to human existence. His impact on our world would be remembered many centuries from today.

President Jonathan said this on his Facebook page on October 7, 2011 as a tribute to Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple and one of the world’s greatest innovators who died on October 5, 2011.

But critics would argue that the Nigerian youth needs the right education, an enabling business environment and financial support in order to turn ideas into great products and companies that the world would be envious of.

As it appears, the president’s remarks did not point to his administration’s plans to grow local technology companies that could dominate on the world stage or even make the likes of ‘Steve Jobs’ out of the Nigerian youth.

It is unclear whether or not the recently launched Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) Initiative can produce valuable companies such as Apple Inc.