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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is set to deepen its collaboration with the European Union (EU) to enhance digital skills development and strengthen the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme for Corps Members.
Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, at the EU Mission in Abuja.
General Nafiu said the Scheme is committed to building the capacity of its personnel and expanding opportunities for Corps Members through strategic partnerships that support digital innovation, entrepreneurship and workforce development. He noted that the NYSC is open to collaborations that will facilitate staff training through seminars, workshops and other professional development initiatives.
The Director General commended the European Union for its sustained investment in Nigerian youths, particularly in programmes that promote skills acquisition, innovation and economic empowerment.
He explained that the SAED programme, introduced in 2012, was designed to address graduate unemployment by equipping Corps Members with practical vocational and entrepreneurial skills. According to him, the initiative has produced thousands of successful entrepreneurs, many of whom now own businesses and create employment opportunities for others, while also attracting grants and support from development partners.
In his remarks, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, lauded the NYSC for institutionalising the SAED programme, describing it as a strategic initiative with significant potential to drive national development.
Mignot stated that the European Union remains committed to supporting programmes in digital technology, youth and women empowerment, agriculture, renewable energy, healthcare, education and other sectors that promote inclusive economic growth.
He also revealed that some European financial institutions have commenced operations in Nigeria to improve access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while reaffirming the EU’s commitment to supporting young Nigerians through educational and employability initiatives.
