The federal government, through Vice-President Kashim Shettima, in collaboration with Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations System and other ASIS partners, is set to inaugurate a new learning fund and empowerment initiative aimed at unlocking the potential of Nigerian children, women and youths.
The inauguration is scheduled to hold on Wednesday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha.
According to Nkwocha, “the initiative, convened by the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations System and other ASIS partners, will form part of the outcomes of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement.”
He added that “also to be launched on Wednesday is the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion (WYFEI) Nigeria, the country’s flagship platform for advancing women and youth economic empowerment through compact-based delivery, co-investment frameworks and performance accountability.”
Nkwocha further explained that “this will make Nigeria the implementation platform of the African Union’s WYFEI programme,” noting that “WYFEI will also be launched in other countries after Nigeria.”
Speaking ahead of the engagement, Vice-President Shettima said Nigeria was positioned for a prosperity-filled future through sustained and effective mobilisation of funding, support and expertise from both international and local partners.
“Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on how effectively we mobilise the private sector, development partners and public institutions around shared national priorities,” Shettima said.
He described the engagement as a strategic move, adding that “this engagement marks a critical step toward delivery-driven partnerships that unlock the full potential of our women and youth, strengthen human capital and accelerate inclusive growth.”
On her part, the Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Mrs Olapeju Ibekwe, said the ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement represents a pivotal shift from conversation to national execution.
Ibekwe said the high-level meeting would deliberately align policy, innovation and financing frameworks that enable solutions to scale, delivering real impact.
