Minister of Youth insists Enterprenuership is key to Youth Employment Opportunities

Mr Sunday Dare, Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports Development has rallied governments, international organizations and the private sector to urgently provide access to soft loans to youth led businesses. Speaking at the sideline of the United nations session, Mr Dare said creating access to loans and credit lies the solution to lift the youth and other segment of the population out of poverty and unemployment.

“Entrepreneurship has an antidote against youth unemployment. Enterprenuership amongst youth offers a sustainable path out of poverty and unemployment. No nation has been able to bring down its youth unemployment numbers without embarking on deliberate policies aimed at providing credit and opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs ”

Speaking further, the Minister affirmed how the Covid 19 pandemic created a new economy where the youth became an important component by leveraging on technology as an enabler.

“Technology has changed the way we do business forever due to covid-19 pandemic
We continue to see an enabler seized upon by the youth. COVID-19 innovation challenge, is a unique platform that empowers youth to offer solutions to the impact of the pandemic. Harnessing technology in various sectors. Financial, Commerce, Service delivery, Medicine and Digital marketing. ”

The Minister also emphasized how the Federal Government’s post covid 19 initiatives helped social business expansion by providing needed funds to households and private businesses.

“Nigeria under the watchful eyes of President Muhammadu Buhari launched the strategic intervention initiative called the Economic Sustainability Plan, ESP, to the tune of 2.3 Trillion naira. This was a National Stimulus plan which had at its core social welfare packages, survival funds to households, small businesses and the old and vulnerable.The Youth and Women were not left out. “

Drawing from experiences across Nigeria and the continent, the Minister declared that Nations will increasingly depend on the youth to meet the challenges of a post Covid 19 era.

“Nigeria and indeed the world will rely increasingly on its Youth population to develop smart products and solutions to conquer the challenges and problems of climate change, economic slowdown and smart products.

“If nothing at all, we must continue to use Technology as an enabler, have government become an enabler and push our youth on the path of enterprenuership by offering them digital training and access to finance”.