The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially flagged off a free nationwide training programme aimed at equipping 10 million Nigerians with financial inclusion and literacy skills.
The initiative, which was launched on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, is being implemented through the Office of the Vice President under the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Speaking at the event on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Shettima said Nigeria can only fully harness its demographic dividend if young Nigerians and women are empowered with the right skills, ethical grounding, and digital competencies required for a rapidly evolving digital economy.
According to him, the training programme is designed to provide participants—particularly women and youths—with essential financial knowledge, investment skills, and digital capabilities necessary for sustainable wealth creation and inclusive economic growth.
As part of the programme, the Office of the Vice President, through PreCEFI, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with six professional bodies to jointly develop training curricula, certification pathways, digital skills initiatives, and mentorship platforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s financial and enterprise workforce.
The professional bodies are the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), Chartered Risk Management Institute (CRMI), and the Nigeria Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NIIE).
Vice President Shettima described the MoU as more than a formal agreement, noting that it represents a strategic national investment in human capacity.
“It is a strategic national investment in capacity as infrastructure — the human, institutional, and ethical foundations upon which inclusive growth must rest,” he said.
He explained that the Aso Accord on Economic and Financial Inclusion, which PreCEFI is mandated to implement, recognises that financial inclusion goes beyond access to services and must be built on competence, trust, and capability.
“Nigeria cannot build a one-trillion-dollar economy on weak skills, fragmented standards, or disconnected professional ecosystems,” the Vice President stated.
He added that the collaboration establishes a structured framework for joint training programmes, policy dialogue, digital transformation, youth empowerment, and support for small and medium practitioners, while aligning professional standards with national inclusion goals.
Vice President Shettima stressed that true financial inclusion requires professionals across sectors who understand MSME formalisation, risk assessment beyond collateral, consumer protection, digital threats, and innovation-driven enterprise development.
Emphasising the focus on women and youths, he said the programme recognises that Nigeria’s demographic advantage will only materialise when young people are equipped with relevant skills and ethical values for a fast-growing digital economy.
He urged PreCEFI and the partnering professional bodies to treat the MoU as a practical platform for execution rather than a ceremonial document.
“Accordingly, on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, I hereby flag off the free training of 10 million Nigerians with priority for women and youth across the country,” the Vice President declared.
Earlier, the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Mallam Haruna Nma Yahaya, commended the Tinubu administration for its bold economic reforms, describing the training programme as a product of visible improvements in the economy.
He assured the Federal Government of ICAN’s full professional support, describing the institute’s involvement in the programme as an institutional honour.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of WAWU Africa, the technical partner for the programme, Mr Emmanuel Lennox, expressed readiness to deliver on the project, particularly in providing the digital platform and enabling environment for its success.
Similarly, the Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion, Dr Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro, explained that financial exclusion is often caused not only by lack of access, but by limited skills and weak institutional capacity.
“Financial inclusion is not achieved by infrastructure alone; it is achieved when people and institutions are equipped to use that infrastructure responsibly, productively, and sustainably,” he said.
The event climaxed with the formal signing of the MoU between the Federal Government and the six professional bodies, marking the official commencement of the nationwide capacity-building programme.
