Vice-President Kashim Shettima is set to inaugurate a new learning fund and empowerment platform aimed at unlocking the potential of Nigerian children, women and youths, as part of broader efforts to strengthen human capital development and inclusive growth.
The inauguration is scheduled to hold on Wednesday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, according to a statement issued on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha.
Nkwocha said the initiative is being convened by the Office of the Vice President, in collaboration with the Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations System, and other Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) partners. The programme will form part of the outcomes of the ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement.
He also revealed that the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion (WYFEI) Nigeria platform will be launched at the same event. WYFEI is described as Nigeria’s flagship platform for advancing women and youth economic empowerment through compact-based delivery, co-investment frameworks and performance accountability.
According to Nkwocha, the launch will position Nigeria as the implementation platform for the African Union’s WYFEI programme, with plans to extend the initiative to other African countries after Nigeria.
Speaking ahead of the event, Vice-President Shettima said Nigeria is positioned for a prosperity-filled future through sustained and effective mobilisation of funding, expertise and institutional support, both locally and internationally.
“Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on how effectively we mobilise the private sector, development partners and public institutions around shared national priorities,” Shettima said.
“This engagement marks a critical step toward delivery-driven partnerships that unlock the full potential of our women and youth, strengthen human capital and accelerate inclusive growth.”
Also commenting, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Mrs Olapeju Ibekwe, described the ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement as a decisive move from dialogue to implementation.
She said the meeting would deliberately align policy, innovation, financing and delivery frameworks to enable scalable solutions with measurable impact.
“This will deliver real impact for millions of Nigerians, while positioning Nigeria as a leader in Africa’s sustainable growth agenda,” Ibekwe added.
