Nigeria’s government announced on Sunday that it has partnered with a commercial bank in the country, Wema to establish micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) digital hubs in seven states.
Vice President Kashim Shettima said in a statement signed by his office’s Director of Information, Olusola Abiola, that the hub would provide one million youths with digital skills.
He said the government reached an agreement to implement the initiative following a meeting between the vice president and representatives of Wema Bank.
He stated that the initiative was part of the administration’s commitment to creating digital jobs for youth.
“The FGN/ALAT Digital and SkillNnovation Hub centres will open first in Lagos and Borno states, with Katsina, Cross River, Anambra, Oyo, and Kano following,” according to the statement.
”They will be run in partnership with a leading financial institution in Nigeria, WEMA Bank. The strategic objectives of the programme include empowering young entrepreneurs by providing them with tailored financial products, training, and support to enable them to build sustainable businesses that will support the growth of Nigeria’s economy.
“Other objectives include: supporting tech-savvy youths with a keen interest in digital innovations who aspire to drive technological advancements, by providing them with financial solutions, training, and access to strategic partnerships; and empowering young employees to become an integral part of the workforce in Nigeria, especially those deployed through the NYSC.”
According to the vice president, one million youths will benefit from software engineering, product design, and other digital training, while 500,000 SMEs will be mentored in business development.
“FGN/ALAT Digital and SkillNnovation Hub, positioned to serve as a centralised platform to provide cutting-edge digital skills, mentorship, and networking opportunities, is targeted at tech-savvy youths and young entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
“The focus is on promoting entrepreneurship, skills development, and the integration of young employees in the workforce, particularly getting one million youths employed in the digital economy and upskilling SMEs that can directly add value to the country’s economy.
“In training, 1 million young adults will be trained in software engineering, product management, business analysis, cloud computing, and product design using a specialised curriculum designed for the FGN/ALAT Digital and SkillNnovation Hub.
“In mentorship, 500,000 SMEs across Nigeria will be mentored by experts, while coaches will train and upskill them for business growth and quantum leaps.
“Grants will be provided under the scheme through a collaborative arrangement between the federal government and WEMA Bank, with N500 million set aside to be given to SMEs and techpreneurs,” he added.
