The federal government has begun a free nationwide training program for 10 million Nigerians on financial inclusion and literacy.

The training is organised by the Office of the Vice-President through the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion, chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima. It was designed to equip Nigerians, particularly women and youths, with essential financial skills, investment knowledge, and digital competencies for sustainable wealth creation.

Accordingly, the office of the vice-president, through the PreCEFI, signed a memorandum of understanding with six professional bodies to jointly design the programme, certification pathways, digital skills initiatives, and mentorship platforms.

This is with a  view to  strengthening Nigeria’s financial and enterprise workforce.

The professional bodies included the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, and the National Institute of Credit Administration. Others were the Chartered Risk Management Institute and the Nigeria Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The vice-president said that the signing of the MoU was more than a formal agreement. Mr Shettima said Nigeria could reap bountifully from its demographic dividend only if young Nigerians and women are equipped with the skills and ethical grounding needed for a rapidly advancing digital economy.

Mr Shettima added that the Aso Accord on Economic and Financial Inclusion, which the PreCEFI was mandated to implement, recognises the fact that “financial inclusion is not achieved by access alone, but by competence, trust, and capability”.

According to him, the nation cannot build a one-trillion-dollar economy on weak skills, fragmented standards, or disconnected professional ecosystems.

Mr Shettima maintained that the training programme must prioritise young Nigerians and women. He charged the PreCEFI and the professional bodies not to treat the MoU as a mere document, but as a living platform for execution.

(NAN)