The Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim, has announced that the restructured Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) will begin accepting applications this month.
The goal is to provide financial support to young entrepreneurs and innovative ideas, fostering entrepreneurial spirit and job creation.
The Minister 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, North Central Nigeria.
She emphasized the commitment to simplifying the application process and providing essential resources to transform business visions into reality, contributing to economic growth.
Dr. Ibrahim recalled a groundbreaking initiative announced in May 2024 to empower at least 5,000 NYSC members with up to ten million naira each for entrepreneurial ventures upon completing their service, contributing to economic growth and sustainability.
She further said: “We are also launching the National Youth Skills Programme (NYSP) this month. This program aims to train over one million young Nigerians across diverse fields such as technology,
agriculture, and more. The NYSP offers a remarkable opportunity to enhance your employability and prepare for a successful career, aligning your applications with the evolving demands of the job market.”
Ibrahim urged the corps members to take advantage of these opportunities, emphasizing that the world is changing rapidly and the skills they learn now will be crucial to their future success.
She advised them to make use of the NYIF to bring their business ideas to life as well as actively participate in the NYSP to acquire new competencies, using their NYSC year to develop a well-rounded skill set.
Earlier, in his address, the Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Bago said that his government will give automatic employment for members who are in the medical and health field willing to take employment with the state towards improving healthcare delivery services across the state.
Bago also disclosed that the state government has earmarked five billion naira for the construction of the permanent orientation camp of the National youth service corps in Niger state.
Olusola Akintonde
