Scheme targets enhanced staff capacity development and digital support for Corps members under SAED initiative.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has expressed its readiness to deepen its partnership with the European Union (EU) to strengthen digital support for its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
Director-General of 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 on Saturday.
General Nafiu said staff capacity development remains critical to the effective delivery of the Scheme’s mandate, noting that NYSC is committed to partnerships that will enhance the training and professional development of its workforce through seminars, workshops and other capacity-building initiatives.
He commended the European Union for its sustained support for Nigerian youths and its commitment to programmes that promote skills development and economic empowerment.
The NYSC boss explained that the SAED programme was introduced to address graduate unemployment by equipping Corps members with practical and entrepreneurial skills needed for self-reliance and job creation.
According to a statement issued by the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the programme has empowered thousands of Corps members with marketable skills since its inception, with many beneficiaries establishing successful businesses and becoming employers of labour. The initiative has also attracted grants and support from several development partners.
Speaking during the visit, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Gautier Mignot, praised the NYSC management for institutionalising the SAED programme, describing it as a strategic initiative with immense potential for national development.
He said the European Union collaborates with implementing partners to design and execute development projects across key sectors, including digital technology, women and youth empowerment, children’s development, agriculture, renewable energy and healthcare.
Mignot disclosed that some European financial institutions have commenced operations in Nigeria to expand access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), identifying limited access to finance as one of the major challenges confronting small business owners in the country.
He added that the EU remains committed to supporting young people through academic and educational initiatives aimed at improving employability and facilitating their transition into the labour market.
The renewed partnership is expected to strengthen NYSC’s efforts at empowering Nigerian youths with relevant skills and expanding opportunities for entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.