Salute Nigeria Initiative has partnered with the Pat Fernandes Foundation to promote youth empowerment, education, and job creation in Nigeria. The director-general of the Salute Nigeria Initiative, Chielo Ojirika, said this at the signing of the memorandum of understanding in Abuja.

The two organisations have entered into a new partnership to empower Nigerian youths through international job opportunities, technical training, and global educational support.

Mr Ojirika said the new partnership was aimed at promoting youth empowerment, education, and job creation in Nigeria.

“We are signing this MOU to let the world know that we are now collaborating to contribute to the development of Nigeria, and by extension, the world,” he said.

According to him, the partnership focuses primarily on youth empowerment and international job creation, leveraging global connections to open new doors for Nigerian youths in Europe—particularly in Denmark, Poland, Germany, and other countries.

Mr Ojirika is also the Nigerian cultural ambassador to Germany and the coordinator of the forthcoming Nigerian German Investment and Cultural Expo, NGICE, scheduled for Berlin, Germany.

The expo was chaired by former inspector general of police Mike Okiro. According to Mr Ojirika, the expo aims to boost Nigeria’s global image and foster existing economic relationships with Germany and the world.

He described the expo as a collaborative effort by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, foreign affairs and arts ministries and other MDAs.

Patrick Fernandes, chairman of the foundation, traced the foundation’s efforts back to 2017, when the organisation sponsored young Nigerians to pursue undergraduate studies in India. Mr Fernandes, who is also the newly appointed chairman of the Communication Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, said many Nigerian undergraduate students have successfully graduated and are now contributing to society.

He noted that the global job market is shifting towards technical competence, with high demand for skills in fields such as electrical electronics, carpentry, welding, and mechanical fitting.

Mr Fernandez noted that while local training often leaves young Nigerians without job opportunities, the partnership offers a clear pathway: students will “learn and earn” through a two-year diploma abroad, after which they are absorbed into industries across Europe with job contracts lasting up to three years.

He said, “Graduates can expect to earn a minimum of €1,400 per month, excluding bonuses, amounting to as much as N2.5 to N2.6 million monthly. Over two years, returning youths could accumulate up to N30 million, enough to start businesses and contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth.”

According to Mr Fernandez, this initiative aligns with the Nigerian government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to support government efforts by equipping young Nigerians with global skills, work experience, and financial independence.

“Europe’s ageing population has created a massive demand for technical workers, with major companies—such as Mercedes-Benz and Ford—actively seeking skilled mechanics, engineers, and technicians. African and Asian countries are now being positioned to fill this gap.

“With this new partnership, we hope to create pathways for thousands of young Nigerians to build careers, gain international exposure, and eventually return home to invest their earnings and skills in the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Project (NIRP),” he explained. 

NAN)