Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday chaired the inaugural board meeting of Generation Unlimited Nigeria, coinciding with International Youth Day 2025, themed “Youth Innovation for a Sustainable Future.” The event gathered key stakeholders in the skills and employment ecosystem.

The reactivated Board of Generation Unlimited (GenU) Nigeria has been given the mandate to connect 20 million young Nigerians to employment opportunities by 2030.

Speaking at the meeting, Shettima announced the launch of a new national skills programme designed to link young Nigerians to jobs, training, and entrepreneurship. “At least 60 per cent of beneficiaries are expected to be women,” he said.

Highlighting Nigeria’s youth potential, the Vice President noted, “With over 60 per cent of our population below the age of 25, we cannot afford to squander this asset. An advantage unrealised is merely potential wasted. We must refine it, we must invest in it, and we must channel it towards productive destinies.”

He explained that the country’s national skills ecosystem faces a “trilemma,” pointing out that too many young people are excluded from the start, training is often disconnected from livelihoods, and there is inadequate infrastructure for large-scale hands-on learning.

The initiative, which focuses on sustainable development, employment creation, and gender inclusion, is expected to drive economic growth and improve youth empowerment across Nigeria.

The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) and the Pan-African Organisation for Small and Medium Industries (PAOSMI) have officially launched a groundbreaking partnership aimed at advancing the empowerment of small and medium enterprises and accelerating continental industrialization.

The high-level engagement, which took place at NBTI Headquarters in Abuja, is described as a major milestone in the implementation of Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

It aligns with the transformative leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, whose Nigeria First Policy and economic vision are reshaping national development through innovation, technology commercialization, and Pan-African economic cooperation.

Welcoming the PAOSMI delegation, Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NBTI, said the partnership is a strategic alignment with the Board’s mandate to drive homegrown technological innovation, incubate viable enterprises, and translate research and development into commercial success.

He commended President Tinubu for his visionary policies, global economic diplomacy, and bold reforms that are creating a fertile environment for industrial growth, job creation, and economic inclusivity.

“Under President Tinubu’s transformative leadership, Nigeria has entered a new era of technological awakening, industrial ambition, and global relevance,” Dr. Raji stated.

Dr. Henry Emejuo, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of PAOSMI, praised Dr. Raji for his innovative strategies since his appointment in January 2025 by President Tinubu.

He noted that PAOSMI’s mission to industrialize Africa through SME development mirrors NBTI’s objectives, making this collaboration both timely and historically important.

PAOSMI operates with over 64 affiliate networks across 40 African and Caribbean countries and is leading industrial development across 16 sectors.

Through 17 technical commissions, the organization supports SMEs by providing access to harmonized African standards, capacity building, and enterprise assistance. These efforts are aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to promote trade and industrial growth across the continent.

Highlighting the cassava value chain as a sector with major potential for agro-industrial transformation, Dr. Emejuo called for stronger integration with NBTI to address skill gaps, boost technology adoption, and secure funding for SMEs. He emphasized that this would unlock Africa’s full industrial potential.

Dr. Raji supported this view, stating that “Made-in-Nigeria must mean made-to-compete globally.” He revealed that NBTI currently supports over 10,000 SME products across the country and is modernizing its incubation centres for full automation with the support of strategic international investors, including partners from China.

He stressed that the Nigeria First Policy is providing an unmatched platform for local manufacturers to grow, innovate, and compete internationally.

Dr. Raji also called on the Federal Government to establish advanced technology parks in each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to address post-incubation challenges.

These parks, he said, would help post-incubatees expand their operations, increase employment opportunities, and boost national productivity.

In what he described as a proud moment, Dr. Raji announced that the grand finale of the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2025 will be held on October 9, 2025, in London.

At this event, 105 Nigerian innovators will present their breakthroughs to global investors. He noted that the annual initiative is in direct alignment with President Tinubu’s vision to globalize Nigerian innovations and attract sustainable foreign direct investment into the nation’s growing innovation ecosystem.

After detailed discussions, NBTI and PAOSMI agreed to set up a Joint Committee that will focus on specific collaborative initiatives.

These will include SME training, commercialization of innovations, trade facilitation, enforcement of standards, and value chain development.

The meeting ended on a note of optimism, with both organizations committing to building a resilient ecosystem for African industrialization powered by Nigerian ingenuity.

The collaboration will be anchored on the strategic leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who continues to drive policies that position Nigeria at the centre of Africa’s industrial resurgence.

His leadership is seen as a symbol of hope, innovation, and economic independence for the continent, reinforcing Nigeria’s role as a key player in shaping Africa’s future industrial landscape.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling poverty through the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, a grassroots initiative aimed at empowering economic players across all 8,809 wards in Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. Speaking during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on August 13, 2025, the president expressed gratitude to council members for their dedication to his reform agenda.

“Distinguished members of the Federal Executive Council, let me begin by expressing my sincere appreciation for your unwavering commitment, resilience, and hard work in supporting this administration’s reform agenda,” he said.

President Tinubu highlighted that the government’s bold reforms have dismantled long-standing economic distortions, restored policy credibility, and enhanced economic resilience. According to him, these measures have also created a transparent and competitive business environment while boosting investor confidence.

He stated that the Nigerian economy is now better positioned to attract domestic and foreign investment, which is vital for sustained growth, job creation, and lifting millions out of poverty.

“Our Renewed Hope Agenda remains focused on achieving a $1 trillion economy by the year 2030,” he said, stressing the need to accelerate growth to a minimum of 7.0 percent by 2027. He described this target as both an economic goal and a moral obligation, citing the recent IMF Article IV Report as proof that investment-led growth is essential for poverty reduction.

On the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, the president explained that it is designed to use a micro-level approach for poverty alleviation, engaging state and local governments as well as private sector partners for impactful implementation.

“This programme is close to my heart. It is designed to empower active grassroots economic players,” he added.

The president also revealed that he had urged governors during a recent National Economic Council meeting to prioritise productivity-enhancing investments, strengthen food security, and deepen collaboration with local governments. He stressed that these steps are critical to ensuring no Nigerian is left behind in the country’s development drive.

On economic sustainability, President Tinubu pointed out the importance of savings as a catalyst for investment and growth. He expressed concern that public investment stands at only 5 percent of GDP, largely due to inadequate public savings.

He called for an urgent review of spending efficiency and deductions from the Federation Account, including costs of collection by agencies like FIRS, Customs, NUPRIC, and NIMASA.

Additionally, he suggested reassessing the 30 percent management fee and frontier exploration deductions by NNPC in line with the Petroleum Industry Act. “We must optimise every available Naira to sustain our momentum and finance our growth trajectory, especially in a time of global liquidity constraints,” he noted.

President Tinubu directed the Economic Management Team, chaired by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, to review all deductions and revenue retention practices and present actionable recommendations to the council.

“The task ahead is great, but so is our resolve. Let us continue to work together with unity of purpose, guided by the Renewed Hope Agenda, to build a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Nigeria,” he concluded.