President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to equipping Nigerian youths with world class skills through the newly launched Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), describing it as a strategic intervention to address unemployment and position young Nigerians as global competitors.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the official launch in Abuja’s Presidential Villa, the President emphasized that Nigeria’s youthful population – with a median age of 17 – presents both an opportunity and imperative for national development.
The academy will focus on three critical areas: education and skills development through training in digital literacy, technical skills, entrepreneurship and creative industries; economic empowerment via initiatives like the Youth Investment Fund and Presidential Initiative for Youth Enterprise Clusters; and leadership development to nurture the next generation of policymakers and community leaders.
“When our children go to bed assured of their place in the changing world, then we can say our nation is succeeding,” President Tinubu stated, when launching the initiative at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa on Monday, noting that NiYA aims to train millions of young Nigerians within two years.
Highlighting Nigeria’s demographic advantage as the world’s third most populous nation by 2050 projections, the President acknowledged current challenges including low human capital development and youth unemployment. “These aren’t mere statistics but represent deferred dreams and uncertain futures,” he said, positioning NiYA as the administration’s solution to transform this narrative.
The launch featured symbolic grants of N1 million each to six youth representatives from Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
Finance Minister Wale Edun described the initiative as “a launchpad for Nigeria’s digital economy,” stressing that “in today’s world, skills trump certificates.”
Youth Development Minister Ayodele Olawande urged massive youth participation, noting the program fulfills President Tinubu’s promise to create opportunities for young Nigerians to gain employable skills and build sustainable livelihoods.
The government plans complementary initiatives including establishing a National Youth Development Bank to provide financial support for young entrepreneurs. NiYA represents the administration’s comprehensive strategy to harness Nigeria’s youth potential for national development and global competitiveness in the digital age.
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