The Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, has announced that the restructured Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) will begin to accept applications this month to enable more young entrepreneurs access financial support for their innovative ideas.
The Minister made the announcement during the swearing-in of the 2024 Batch B Stream I corps members at the NYSC orientation camp in Paiko, Niger State.
Dr. Ibrahim assured that the NYIF would simplify the application process, emphasizing the commitment to fostering entrepreneurial spirit and providing essential resources to help transform business visions into reality, thus contributing to job creation and economic growth.
The Minister recalled announcing a groundbreaking initiative 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 .This, she explained will contribute to economic growth and sustainability.
She spoke further : “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 Umar 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.
