President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering youths with world-class skills to position them as key players in the global economy.

He said the young population will get world-class training in digital literacy, technical skills, entrepreneurship, and the creative industries.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, he spoke at the launch of the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) at the State House, Abuja.

President Tinubu noted that as a peculiar nation with a median age of 17, Nigeria has one of the youngest populations in the world.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, President Tinubu observed that such peculiarity is an invitation to rise to the challenge of Nigeria’s projection to be the third-largest in the world by 2050, with an overwhelming majority of her citizens under the age of 21.

NiYA, according to the President, will focus on education and skills development, economic empowerment, and leadership and civic engagement.

“Through world-class training in digital literacy, technical skills, entrepreneurship, and the creative industries, we will ensure that our youth are equipped to compete on the global stage.

“Initiatives like the Youth Investment Fund and the Presidential Initiative for Youth Enterprise Clusters will provide financial support, mentorship, and resources to young entrepreneurs, while the establishment of a National Youth Development Bank will ensure access to the capital needed to turn ideas into thriving businesses,” he said.

Minister for Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, explained that the initiative is designed to equip young Nigerians with marketable skills.

“The President promised to the Nigerian youths to provide a platform where they can achieve their dreams; the dream of many Nigerian youths is to have a good job and live a good life,” he said.

The minister noted that NiYA aims to “upscale and bridge the skill gap in the job market and will close the gap for many youths to be empowered with the skills needed for the job”.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, congratulated beneficiaries of the N1million presented to six members of NiYA, representing the six geo-political zones, to help them implement their programmes.

Edun said NiYA is a bold and ambitious step towards achieving President Tinubu’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians.

NiYA, he said, speaks directly to the aspirations of over 60 million youths from the ages of 18 and 35 within the nation’s borders and across the diaspora who are hungry for knowledge, skills and opportunity.

“We know that skills, not just certificates, are the real currency of today’s global digital economy and that is why NiYA is so important. It is more than a learning platform.

“It is a launchpad for a new generation of Nigerian entrepreneurs, creators, professionals, and founders who can reach out all over the world comfortably seated using the internet,” he stated.