By Kunle Sanni –
The Federal Government has launched a nationwide, free financial inclusion and literacy training programme targeting 10 million Nigerians, with a particular focus on youths and women.
The initiative, flagged off on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, is being implemented through the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI).
Vice President Kashim Shettima said Nigeria could only maximise its demographic dividend if young people and women are equipped with relevant skills and ethical grounding to participate effectively in a fast-growing digital economy.
Speaking at the event on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Shettima described the programme as a strategic investment in human capacity, emphasising that financial inclusion goes beyond mere access to financial services.
He added that the Federal Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with six professional bodies to support the implementation of the programme through structured training, certification, mentorship, and digital skills development.
The professional bodies involved 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).
According to the vice president, the collaboration is anchored on the Aso Accord on Economic and Financial Inclusion, which recognises that inclusion is driven not only by access but also by competence, trust, and institutional capacity.
He noted that Nigeria cannot build a one-trillion-dollar economy on weak skills, fragmented professional standards, or disconnected institutions. The agreement, he said, establishes a framework for joint training programmes, policy engagement, and digital transformation initiatives aligned with national inclusion goals.
