The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has partnered with the Future Africa Project to find solutions to Nigeria’s rising unemployment crisis.
Toki Mabogunje, president, LCCI, said that beyond macroeconomic conditions, skill mismatch contributes to the persistent increase in Nigeria’s unemployment numbers, adding that if not properly addressed, may worsen over time.
Speaking at a forum with Future Africa in Lagos, Mabogunje said as part of its efforts to tackle unemployment in the country, the Chamber will partner with Future Africa to train 1, 000 young Nigerians under Future Africa Internship Programme (FAIP).
Mabogunje who was represented by Daramola Bamidele, vice president, LCCI, said “We realise that skill mismatch contributes to the country’s rising unemployment, and this stems from the discordance between school curriculum and industry needs, it is, therefore, not surprising that employers of labour lament about the skill deficiency of job seekers, especially fresh graduates,’’ she said
She said the internship programme addresses the discordance between school curriculum and industry, to engender more skilled and employable youths in the country.
“This initiative anchors on the conviction that Africa’s growth requires a generation of skilled and highly productive young people as the youth accounts for a sizeable proportion of Africa’s population,” she said.
Bukola Adebakin, chief operating officer, The Future Project, said the beneficiaries, who would be placed in organisations as interns for a period of three to six months, would be paid N150, 000 monthly.
Adebakin revealed that the scheme, which was open to all fields of study, would register its first batch of interns by the third quarter of 2021.
He said that the tech analytic process would be used to manage learning, adding that the initiative was open to people with less than two years of work experience and undergraduates with less than two years to graduate.
Adebola Williams, founding partner, The Future Project, said the scheme was mandated to provide the bridge to enable employable youths to gain quality, practical experience for a better future and societal outcome.
“The FAIP creates a multidiscipline avenue and opportunity for young people to have real and quality experience, we are looking to train 1, 000 youths between now and 2023, we are also open to partnerships and applications by companies willing to adopt interns,” he said.
