President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed today that over one million online applications have been received for the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF).
The portal went live on 20 October.
The NYIF scheme is a N75billion fund to boost youth enterprise in various fields.
Buhari spoke today at the maiden National Youth Day celebration, which coincides with the African Youth Day.
Describing Nigerian youths as agents for social change, economic growth and sustainable development, Buhari said his administration has established no fewer than 25 initiatives aimed at empowering youths across the country.
He noted that these noble initiatives, ongoing in the last five years, were aimed at placing Nigerian youths on the path of career development, entrepreneurship, skills development and direct employment.
”Today, we will unveil the official logo of the N75 billion Nigeria Youth Investment Fund for the period of 2020 – 2023.
”This novel fund is dedicated to investing in the innovative ideas, skills and talents of Nigerian Youths and to provide our youths with a special window to access much needed financing, business management skills and other inputs critical for sustainable enterprise,” he said.
He listed other youth-based initiatives, consistent with his administration’s policy of positioning youths for strategic leadership in different fields of endeavour, as follows:
”The birth of the Nigerian Youth Policy in 2019, the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund in July 2020, Young Farmers Initiative, Digital Skills, Entrepreneurship, Employability and Leadership/Mentoring (DEEL) programme, which recently received an approval of N4 billion naira for implementation, and the Not Too Young to Run Act.”
Other initiatives, according to the President, include the Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme (P-YES) , the N-Power, SI and Disaster Management, the Youth Entrepreneurship Support (YES) Programme , Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) and the Youth Enterprise with Innovation In Nigeria (YouWIN).
The President also added the $20 million Technology Fund for Young Innovators as some of the major initiatives empowering youths across the country. – The News.
