Minna: Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced that over 900,000 Nigerians have benefited from President Bola Tinubu's loan scheme and Conditional Grant initiatives. Idris disclosed this at the quarterly meeting of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) held in Minna, Niger, with Commissioners of Information from All Progressive Congress (APC) governed states.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the initiatives have supported small businesses, traders, artisans, and young entrepreneurs. In addition to this, over 300,000 students are currently benefiting from the Students' Loan Scheme, which aims to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder young Nigerians from accessing higher education.
The Bank of Agriculture has been recapitalized to the tune of ?1.5 trillion, which is expected to provide significant financing for farmers, agricpreneurs, and the agro-industrial value chain. Idris also highlighted the establishment of Regional Development Commissions across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, aimed at fostering integrated and context-specific development.
Idris emphasized the importance of local government autonomy as a means to unlock development at the grassroots level, improve service delivery, and restore public confidence in governance. In terms of skills, youth, and innovation, the ?75 billion BOI/FGN Fund is actively supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across various sectors.
Furthermore, ?120 billion has been allocated to Technical Vocational Education and Training and the Skill-Up Artisans Initiative, which targets the empowerment of 10 million artisans nationwide. The Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT Project) is focused on upskilling young Nigerians in technology and digital tools, with a new hub recently commissioned in Kano.
The Labour Employment and Employment Programme (LEEP) aims to train and employ 2.5 million youths, while the National Talent Export Programme is set to create one million jobs by exporting Nigerian skills globally. In the creative sector, the Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF) offers up to 100,000 dollars in funding for businesses, and the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund provides young entrepreneurs with financial support ranging from N500,000 to ?2 million.