President Bola Tinubu has declared that young Nigerians are the “greatest assets” of the country, unveiling a raft of investments in education, technology, creative industries, and access to credit.
In a live national broadcast on Wednesday, marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, Mr Tinubu urged youths to “dream big, innovate, and conquer new territories” while assuring them that his administration was creating avenues to support their ambitions through funding and policy reforms.
He said his government was determined to build a society where no young person is denied opportunities because of their background.
He emphasised that the “Renewed Hope Agenda” prioritises investments in education, technology, creative industries, and entrepreneurship.
“You are the future and the greatest assets of this blessed country.
“Our administration, through policies and funding, will continue to give you wings to fly sky-high,” Mr Tinubu declared.
NELFUND: Student loans for 510,000 Nigerians
Highlighting specific programmes, Mr Tinubu noted the creation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), designed to support students across the country with loans for tuition and living expenses.
According to him, about 510,000 students in 228 higher institutions across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have already benefited from the scheme.
Speaking further, he noted that as of 10 September, NELFUND had disbursed ₦99.5 billion in tuition loans and an additional ₦44.7 billion in upkeep allowances.
Expanding credit opportunities
Beyond education, Mr Tinubu said his administration was working to provide affordable credit to young Nigerians and workers across multiple sectors.
He stressed that Credicorp, another government-backed scheme, had disbursed ₦30 billion in affordable loans to 153,000 Nigerians.
The loans according to him, cover essential needs such as vehicles, solar energy solutions, home upgrades, and digital devices.
He also reported that YouthCred, a special consumer credit programme targeted at members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), had taken off, enabling thousands of fresh graduates to access loans for resettlement and post-service transition.
Driving digital and creative industries
President Tinubu also underscored his administration’s commitment to growing Nigeria’s digital economy and creative sector, areas that are increasingly driven by young talent.
He pointed to the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme as a major plank of this policy.
Led by the Bank of Industry in collaboration with international partners including the African Development Bank, the French Development Agency, and the Islamic Development Bank, the initiative aims to provide financing and infrastructure support for startups and creatives.
Mr Tinubu said the programme was now “at the cusp of implementation” after two years of groundwork and collaboration.
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Youth as the centre of national renewal
Framing these initiatives within the context of Nigeria’s 65 years of independence, Mr Tinubu said the government’s goal was to build a nation where no young person is left behind.
“Under our Renewed Hope Agenda, we promised to build a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of background, has an equitable opportunity to access a better future,” he said. “We have collaborated with our partners to launch the programme, supporting our young builders and dreamers in the technology and creative sectors.”
