The popular apprenticeship structure, popularly known as ‘Nwa Boi’ among the Igbos, has been one of Nigeria’s greatest wealth transfer and job creation systems. It is a silent economic engine, one that has powered livelihoods for generations but has never been meaningfully integrated into Nigeria’s national development strategy. This informal apprenticeship system – the mechanic teaching a young boy how to dismantle an engine block, the spare parts dealer at Ladipo market mentoring his boys on the dynamics of business ownership, and the cobbler
The popular apprenticeship structure, popularly known as ‘Nwa Boi’ among the Igbos, has been one of Nigeria’s greatest wealth transfer and job creation systems. It is a silent economic engine, one that has powered livelihoods for generations but has never been meaningfully integrated into Nigeria’s national development strategy. This informal apprenticeship system – the mechanic teaching a young boy how to dismantle an engine block, the spare parts dealer at Ladipo market mentoring his boys on the dynamics of business ownership, and the cobbler
