By Ifeoluwa Odunayo
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to youth development with the launch of the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), a major initiative designed to equip young Nigerians with essential skills for global competitiveness.
The launch took place on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing the President, emphasized the need to invest in Nigeria’s youthful population to drive economic growth and innovation.
NiYA aims to train millions of youths over the next two years in digital literacy, technical skills, entrepreneurship, and the creative industries.
Tinubu noted that with Nigeria’s median age at 17 and the country projected to become the world’s third-largest population by 2050, this initiative is crucial in tackling unemployment and bridging the skills gap.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described NiYA as a transformative platform to empower young Nigerians with marketable skills.
Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, added that the program targets over 60 million youths, positioning them for success in the global digital economy.
As part of the launch, six young Nigerians from different geo-political zones received N1 million each as start-up support.
