Industry experts say continuous investment by the private sector in vocational skills development is the solution if Nigeria is to address the unemployment challenge in the country.
Jordi Borrut Bel, managing director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, says private sector involvement in creating entrepreneurial opportunities will help women and youth acquire various vocational skills needed to be self-employed and employers of labour rather than job seekers.
Bel while speaking at the recent launch of a youth and women empowerment programme for 475 people in five communities across Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, Enugu, and Imo where the company has a business, said the initiative was in line with the company’s ‘winning with Nigeria’ philosophy.
Speaking while declaring the empowerment programme open, explained that the initiative which started with a pilot run last year is part of the company’s commitment to harness the potentials of the youths and women in local communities for development.
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According to Bel, “there is no better time to partner in the empowerment of youth and women than now, as Nigeria and the world faces up to the economic challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. At Nigerian Breweries and as a Partner for Recovery, we recognize that it is now, more than ever before that we should empower our women and youth”.
Sade Morgan, corporate affairs director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, equally stressed that the programme themed ‘empowering our women and youth for growth’ was designed as a veritable platform to unlock the potentials of Nigeria’s huge youthful population and women for greater economic benefits not only for the communities but Nigeria as a whole.
Morgan expressed optimism that the initiative would not only offer needed solutions to entrepreneurial gaps in those communities but also play a huge role in achieving part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
