President Bola Tinubu’s administration has unveiled the National Youth Skills Programme to address youth unemployment and equip them with essential skills for the future.

Jamila Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development, said this at the unveiling event on Thursday in Abuja.

Ms Ibrahim said that the programme was developed to tackle unemployment and equip young people with employable skills.

The minister said, “The key goals are to reduce youth unemployment by 20 per cent in the next five years and achieve up to a 50 per cent increase in youth-led enterprise.

“Through regular assessment, feedback loops and data analysis, we will adjust our strategies as needed to ensure that we stay on track and that no one is left behind.

“With the right skills and training,  our youth cannot only find  employment but also become the driving force behind these sectors, creating a ripple effect of job opportunities.’’

According to her, the government is committed to empowering youths with financial tools to succeed beyond technical skills.

The minister added, “That is why we are committed to ensuring that 50 per cent of programme participants will be female and we have designed specific pathways for young women to thrive in sectors like technology, healthcare and entrepreneurship.’’

Ms Ibrahim explained that the framework would also allow them to track key performance indicators such as the number of jobs created, youth-led businesses’ success rate, and the overall contribution to national economic growth.

According to her, NYSP is designed to target 11 key sectors crucial to Nigeria’s development– agriculture, renewable energy, digital economy and manufacturing.

She listed others as healthcare services, creative arts, sustainable mobility, circular economy, teaching skills, mining and gemstone processing, and blue economy.

(NAN)