The Federal Government, on Thursday, inaugurated the National Youth Skills Programme (NYSP), targeting a 20 per cent reduction of youth unemployment in the country in the next five years.
Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim, who officially launched the programme at a brief ceremony in Abuja, lamented that over 42.5 per cent of young people, the lifeblood of the nation, remain unemployed.
She said this represented about 33 million young Nigerians who wake up daily without a clear path, stressing that this was not just a statistic, but a story of “potential untapped, dreams deferred, and futures put on hold. We cannot afford to let this continue, and that’s why the National Youth Skills Programme is so crucial.”
Ibrahim disclosed that NYSP is designed to equip young Nigerians with the right skills while also providing the trainees with financial support for them to be driving force in key areas of the nation’s economy.
She pointed out this new propgramme was different from past initiatives of government which often focused solely on training without providing the necessary financial support, which meant many young people had the skills but lacked the capital to start their businesses.
“With the NYSP, we are bridging that gap. We’re not just offering skills training, we’re providing a holistic solution-one that Includes mentorship, financial backing, and industry partnerships,” she added.
She explained that the programme is targeting 11 key sectors that are vital to Nigeria’s development and have the capacity to create millions of jobs.
The Minister listed some of these key sectors in focus to include agriculture, renewable energy, and the digital economy, creative industry, teaching, mining Gemstones and processing among others, saying this could potentially drive Nigeria’s future, and unlock the potentials of youth in the country.
She said: “Beyond technical skills, we are committed to empowering our youth with financial tools to succeed.
“It is not enough to be skilled-we must ensure these young men and women have access to the capital they need to start their businesses.
“Through the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), we have already allocated N110 billion for the 2024 fiscal year to support youth-led businesses. With the upcoming National Youth Development Bank, we will expand this, providing more youth with the grants, loans, and mentorship they need to turn their ideas into thriving enterprises.
“We will also measure long-term impacts, such as income growth and poverty reduction. For example, we aim to reduce youth unemployment by as much as 20% over the next five years and achieve up to a 50% increase in youth-led enterprises.
“Through regular assessments, feedback loops, and data analysis, we will adjust our strategies as needed to ensure that we stay on track and that no one is left behind,” she stated.
While noting that government would ensure that 50 per cent of programme participants are female she added the ministry is partnering with local and international organizations to ensure that persons with disabilities have full access to all training programmes, with necessary accommodations provided.
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