The newly established Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) will reduce youth restiveness, unemployment, provide succor and bring to the fore ideas, skills, talents enterprise of the Nigerian Youth, even as it would turn them into entrepreneurs, wealth creators and employers and lead to national development.
This was the assertion of the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, when a group of All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leaders visited the Ministry to commend the Minister for securing Federal Executive Council’s approval for the establishment NYIF.
Mr Dare, asserted that the approval of NYIF by President Muhammadu Buhari was in accomplishment to his staunch belief that our youths were the greatest asset that demand collective responsibility.
“The NYIF joins the slew of youth focused programmes already in place by the Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government, as part of a National plan to combat youth unemployment and drive innovation, fuel entrepreneurship as well as support youth SMEs.
“NYIF provides a single window of investment fund for the youth thereby creating a common bucket for all Nigerian youth to access government support. It provides less cumbersome access to credit and finance for the average Nigerian youth with an approved workplan or business idea which will help lift thousands of youth out of poverty and birth a whole generation of entrepreneurs.
“The Nigerian Youth Fund will generate a minimum of N25billion each year in the next 3 years, totaling N75billion to ring fence the NYIF … The ring fenced funding will strictly cater to the investment needs of persons between the ages of 18 and 35 years old,” he said.
While commending President Muhammadu Buhari and fellow cabinet members for their unflinching support, Mr Dare enthused that the NYIF was timely.
He demonstrated the commitment of the Buhari’s administration towards ensuring that the dreams and ideas of our innovative youths become a reality.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Gabriel Aduda, commended the APC Youths for expressing their gratitude to Buhari after he approved the creation of the NYIF.
He also acknowledged the efforts of the Minister in bringing the youth transformation agenda into reality.
The Team Leader of the APC Youths, Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, stated that the NYIF was a Legacy that the Buhari administration will bequeath to successive governments to build upon, emphasising that for the first time, the nation has a Minister of Youth and Sports Development, truly committed to investing and transforming the lives of Nigerian youths.
