Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has said no fewer than 900,000 Nigerians have benefited from the loan scheme and Conditional Grant initiatives of President Bola Tinubu.
Idris made this known on Thursday in Minna, Niger at the quarterly meeting of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) with Commissioners of Information from All Progressive Congress (APC) governed states.
“Over 900,000 Nigerians have already benefited from the Presidential Conditional Grant and Loan Scheme, supporting small businesses, traders, artisans, and young entrepreneurs.
“Also, over 300,000 students are currently benefiting from the unprecedented Students’ Loan Scheme, ensuring that no young Nigerian is denied access to higher education because of a lack of funds.
“The Bank of Agriculture is being recapitalised to the tune of ₦1.5 trillion, unlocking financing for farmers, agricpreneurs, and the agro-industrial value chain,” Idris said.
On regional and local development, Idris said the establishment of Regional Development Commissions for the North Central, North West, South East, South West, and South South- is aimed at driving integrated, context-specific development across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
“The push for local government autonomy will unlock development at the grassroots, improve service delivery, and restore public confidence in governance at the lowest tier,” he said.
Speaking on skills, youth and innovation, Idris said the ₦75 billion BOI/FGN Fund is supporting MSMEs across all sectors.
He added that the ₦120 billion dedicated to Technical Vocational Education and Training and the Skill-Up Artisans Initiative is targeting the empowerment of 10 million artisans nationwide.
“The Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT Project) is upskilling young Nigerians in tech and digital tools.
“Only a few days ago, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, commissioned the 3MTT hub in Kano.
“The Labour Employment and Employment Programme (LEEP) is being implemented to target 2.5 million youths for employment and enterprise training.
“The National Talent Export Programme is positioned to create one million jobs by exporting Nigerian skills to the global market,” he said
In the creative sector, the minister said that the Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF) has offered up to 100,000 dollars in funding for businesses.
He added that young entrepreneurs are being provided N500,000 to ₦2 million through the restructured Nigeria Youth Investment Fund. (NAN)