Mastercard Foundation in partnership with Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) have commenced training of Nigerian youths as part of efforts to bridge the unemployment gap by creating 200,000 jobs in the next five years.

The director, EDC, Pan-Atlantic University, Mr. Peter Bankole, on Monday said that the programme is to train 200,000 youths over a period of five years.

“As we train and build their capacity, we will equally support them and at the end of the day, they will create at least another 200,000 jobs.

“This programme is open to all and is primarily focused on Lagos, Kano, and Kaduna states. Through this programme, 40,000 young people will be supported with the resources and learning required to start, grow, and expand their businesses every year for the next five years.

“The programme will also provide support and resources to young people who want to become employable in the creative and agricultural sectors,” Bankole said.

Youths are urged to get on board, by registering on http://reg.smetoolkit.ng/betransformed.

“This programme will transform you, help you get the knowledge and even more than that, we will support you to make small and big milestones in your growth plan…and after that, you will also have access to funding as we already have partners to get that sorted…

“Sterling Bank is one of our key partners and for those in Lagos we have the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) as well. The financing will be on 9% interest rate per annum, which is very good and will only be made available when you have attended this programme,” Bankole added.

Also, Country head of Mastercard Foundation in Nigeria, Chidinma Lawanson, said: “This initiative will prepare and enable young people to pursue their aspirations and create productive livelihoods for themselves and others.

“We at Mastercard Foundation are very strong on capacity building and financial inclusion. So, we have had interventions across more than 100 countries but in 2016, when we clocked 10 years, we went through an internal strategy to come up with what we called Young Africa Works strategy, which is unlocking employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for 30 million young Africans by the year 2030.”

Also, executive secretary of Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Teju Abisoye, said that Lagos State government’s mandate is to tackle unemployment.

Mastercard Foundation and the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) launched the Transforming Nigerian Youths programme in 2020 and applications are open for young Nigerians, especially women within the age range of 18 to 35.