Another Opportunity: FG to Launch New Women, Youth Empowerment Fund
- The federal government will launch a new learning fund and empowerment platform in Abuja on Wednesday
- The initiative is organised by the Office of the Vice President alongside the Sterling One Foundation
- The platform focuses on co-investment, accountability and economic inclusion for women and youths
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The federal government, through the office of the vice president, Kashim Shettima, is set to launch a new learning fund and empowerment platform aimed at supporting Nigerian children, women and youths.
According to a statement issued on Monday by Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to the vice president on media and communications, the launch will take place on Wednesday at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, The Sun reported.
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Nkwocha said the initiative is being convened by the Office of the Vice President in partnership with Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations System and other Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) partners.
He explained that the programme forms part of the outcomes of the ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement.
Official launch of empowerment platform
The statement added that the event will also feature the official launch of the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion (WYFEI) Nigeria platform — described as the country’s flagship framework for advancing women and youth economic empowerment through co-investment models, compact-based delivery and performance accountability.
With the launch, Nigeria becomes the implementation hub for the African Union’s WYFEI programme, which is expected to be rolled out in other countries after Nigeria.
Speaking ahead of the engagement, Shettima said Nigeria’s long-term prosperity depends on effective collaboration between government, development partners and the private sector.
“Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on how effectively we mobilise the private sector, development partners and public institutions around shared national priorities,” the vice president said.
He added that the initiative represents a major step toward building delivery-focused partnerships that strengthen human capital, unlock opportunities for women and youths, and accelerate inclusive economic growth.
Also commenting on the programme, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, said the ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement marks a shift from dialogue to implementation.
She noted that the meeting will align policy, innovation, financing and frameworks to enable scalable solutions capable of delivering measurable impact for millions of Nigerians, while positioning the country as a leader in Africa’s sustainable development agenda.
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Legit.ng reports that previous government initiatives, such as the Students' Loan Fund, have eased the burden of schooling for at least 800,000 Nigerian students across tertiary institutions.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund recently disclosed that 788,947 students have benefited from the student loan scheme, with total loans disbursed at N140.88 billion.
Stakeholders commend minister of education
Legit.ng earlier reported that stakeholders have commended Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, for steering Nigeria’s education sector through a period of transformative reform.
The stakeholders said the minister’s initiatives have led to improvement in the Nigerian education sector.
The Ministry recently opened the admission portal for Federal Technical Colleges, coupled with a fully funded, tuition-free policy for admitted students.
Source: Legit.ng
