The Federal Government has commenced a large-scale, free financial literacy and inclusion programme designed to equip 10 million Nigerians with essential money management, digital finance, and investment skills across the country.
The initiative was disclosed in an official statement issued by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, describing the programme as a key pillar of the administration’s broader economic inclusion strategy.
According to the statement, the nationwide training is structured to prioritise women and young people, with a strong emphasis on financial competence, digital skills adoption, and investment education. The programme is expected to help participants build sustainable income streams and participate more effectively in Nigeria’s fast-expanding digital economy.
Programme anchored by Vice President’s office
The training scheme is being executed through the Office of the Vice President, under the supervision of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), which is chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
As part of the rollout, the Federal Government has entered into a formal partnership with six leading professional bodies to provide technical expertise, curriculum development, and institutional support for the programme.
The participating professional institutions include the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), the National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), the Chartered Risk Management Institute (CRMI), and the Nigeria Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NIIE).
Vice President Shettima described the collaboration as a long-term national investment in human capital, stressing that sustainable economic growth depends on building strong institutional and ethical foundations.
“This partnership represents a strategic investment in capacity as infrastructure — the human, institutional, and ethical pillars upon which inclusive growth must be built,” Shettima said.
He further noted that true financial inclusion goes beyond opening accounts or providing access to financial services.
“Inclusion is not delivered by access alone. It is driven by competence, trust, and capability. This agreement establishes a framework to deploy the collective expertise of ICAN, CIBN, CIS, CRMI, NICA, and NIIE to advance inclusion through skills development, advocacy, digital innovation, youth empowerment, and support for small and medium-scale practitioners.”
Focus on youth, women, and Nigeria’s demographic opportunity
Vice President Shettima underscored that young Nigerians and women remain central beneficiaries of the programme, noting that Nigeria’s demographic advantage can only be fully realised if the youth population is equipped with relevant skills and ethical grounding to navigate a rapidly evolving digital and financial landscape. He warned that without targeted interventions, a large segment of the population risks being excluded from emerging economic opportunities driven by technology and innovation.
Stakeholders pledge support for implementation
Speaking at the event, Mallam Haruna Nma Yahaya, President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), commended the Federal Government’s ongoing economic reforms and reaffirmed ICAN’s commitment to providing professional support for the initiative.
Similarly, Emmanuel Lennox, Chief Executive Officer of WAWU Africa, the programme’s technical partner, assured stakeholders of the organisation’s readiness to deliver the required digital infrastructure and learning environment to ensure seamless training across Nigeria. Providing further context, Dr Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro, Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion, explained that financial systems can only deliver impact when individuals and institutions possess the skills to use them responsibly.
According to Zauro, the initiative was designed to bridge this gap by pairing access to financial infrastructure with practical knowledge, digital capability, and sustainable usage.
The event culminated in the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and the six professional bodies, officially marking the launch of the nationwide programme.
Why the programme matters
Nigeria continues to grapple with deep-rooted challenges in youth education, skills acquisition, and workforce readiness. These gaps have left millions of young people outside formal employment, education, or structured training pathways.
Labour force data indicates that in the first quarter of 2024, approximately 14.4% of Nigerians aged 15 to 24 were not enrolled in school, employed, or engaged in any form of training — a statistic that highlights the scale of youth disengagement.
Educational attainment across the labour force also remains limited, with an estimated 86% of Nigerian workers lacking post-secondary education, underscoring a shortage of advanced and specialised skills required in today’s economy. Further reports indicate that over 100 million young Nigerians lack basic digital skills, significantly constraining their ability to benefit from opportunities in the digital and knowledge-driven sectors.
In response, the Federal Government has accelerated multiple skills-focused interventions. Notably, a recent partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aims to train seven million Nigerian youths in advanced digital skills, entrepreneurship, and global workforce readiness. The newly launched financial literacy programme is expected to complement these efforts by strengthening financial competence and inclusion nationwide.
