During a recent meeting with Reeta Roy, the President and CEO of Mastercard Foundation in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu expressed his belief in the talent and readiness of Nigerian youths to compete on a global scale. Tinubu emphasized his administration’s commitment to supporting public-private partnerships aimed at creating dignified work and employment opportunities for the country’s youth.
Tinubu commended the Mastercard Foundation’s initiative to create 10 million jobs for young people in Nigeria, aligning with his Renewed Hope Agenda for economic development and job creation. He emphasized the need for inclusive government and changing the perception of the country, acknowledging Nigeria’s position as the largest economy in Africa and the responsibility that comes with it. Tinubu stressed the importance of providing hope and assurance to the vibrant youth population, recognizing their capability to compete in the global economy with the right leadership and support across various sectors.
Furthermore, Tinubu welcomed the Foundation’s focus on digitization and its role in combating corruption. He expressed readiness to collaborate and remove impediments, ensuring a solid foundation for sustainable growth and prosperity for the youth.
Dr. Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, highlighted the Foundation’s significant impact across Africa and its potential to transform human capital development in Nigeria. Recognizing the Foundation’s prudent allocation of resources and its capacity to directly benefit target beneficiaries, Pate emphasized the potential boost to social intervention and health service delivery through the partnership with the Foundation.
Reeta Roy, the CEO of Mastercard Foundation, presented the Foundation’s focus on education and financial inclusion in Africa, aiming to impact 30 million young Africans by 2030, with a specific focus on Nigeria. She cited the Foundation’s progress, with 2.1 million young people engaged in dignified work under the ‘Young Africa Work Strategy’ and an additional seven million participants in work-enabling programs. Roy expressed the Foundation’s commitment to venturing into the healthcare sector for workforce development, acknowledging the critical role of healthcare and education in Nigeria’s economic growth agenda.
The meeting highlighted the mutual commitment to empowering Nigerian youths and driving sustainable growth across various sectors. As the collaboration between the government and the Mastercard Foundation progresses, the focus on youth empowerment, education, and healthcare remains at the forefront of the agenda.
