In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development, has announced that the restructured Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) will start accepting applications this month. This initiative aims to support young entrepreneurs with financial backing for their innovative ideas.
Dr. Ibrahim made the announcement during the swearing-in ceremony for the 2024 Batch B Stream I corps members at the NYSC orientation camp in Paiko, Niger State. She assured the public that the NYIF application process would be streamlined to better facilitate access to resources for young entrepreneurs, ultimately contributing to job creation and economic growth.
The Minister also revisited her earlier May 2024 announcement regarding a significant initiative to provide up to ten million naira each to at least 5,000 NYSC members for entrepreneurial ventures upon completing their service. This funding is expected to drive economic growth and sustainability.
In addition, Dr. Ibrahim introduced the National Youth Skills Programme (NYSP), which will launch this month. The program is designed to train over one million young Nigerians in various fields including technology and agriculture, aiming to enhance their employability and align their skills with the evolving job market.
Dr. Ibrahim encouraged corps members to leverage these opportunities, stressing the importance of acquiring new competencies and developing a comprehensive skill set during their NYSC year.
In related news, Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State announced that the state government will offer automatic employment to corps members in the medical and health fields who are willing to work in the state. This initiative is part of efforts to improve healthcare delivery services in the region. Additionally, the governor revealed that five billion naira has been allocated for the construction of a permanent NYSC orientation camp in Niger State.