Niger State and NGOs Collaborate to Train 10,000 Youths in Financial Literacy

The Niger Government says it will train no fewer than 10,000 youths, particularly young women, on financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports in Minna on Saturday that the training is in partnership with two NGOs: Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) and MasterCard Foundation.

At the inauguration of the online training tagged ‘Transforming Nigerian Youth Programme (TNY)’, Mrs. Hauwa Bako, Special Adviser to the Niger Governor on Social Investment Programme, said the program would equip youths with entrepreneurial business management skills.

Bako said that the program was aimed at enhancing young entrepreneurs’ mindsets for transformation, employability, and management capacity development.

“The program is designed for mostly young female entrepreneurs and aspiring businesswomen, offering both online and in-person training sessions to foster entrepreneurial skills to succeed.

“The program provides 60 percent online and 40 percent offline training, targeting 80 percent young female and 20 percent male entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35,” she said.

According to her, the online training is open to all Niger residents, and interested persons can register via the link: bit.ly/tny25niger.

She said benefits of the program include business growth and mentorship, business registration and branding support, job placement and entrepreneurship linkages, and certification.

In her remarks, the state’s Commissioner for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Mrs. Elizabeth Shaba, noted that “the program package does not include starter packs, business grants, or loans.”

Also speaking, Mrs. Halima Rabiu from EDC explained that the program could also be done 100 percent online, and participants can learn at their own pace.

“The courses are easy to understand, and we also have community physical learning for the state government to bring the women together to learn through zones,” she said.

Similarly, Mr Olawale Anifowose, Director Programmes and Partnerships of the MasterCard Foundation, disclosed that the program was designed for 10,000 entrepreneurs in Niger State, focusing on microenterprises.

“The program promises to build on past successes, offering an enhanced curriculum that covers critical areas such as business planning, financial management, marketing, and digital skills,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)