A 2014 fellow of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a flagship programme of President Barrack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative, Saidat Shonoiki, has received a $7 million grant from the World Bank to build a sustainable agricultural training centre.
The United States (US) Ambassador, James Entwistle, said this on Tuesday in Abuja, during the pre-departure orientation for 40 Nigerians that will participate in the 2015 Mandela Washington Fellowship.
The new fellows would undergo a six-week mentoring programme in civic leadership, entrepreneurship, public administration and business management in 20 American universities and Entwistle explained that the White House created the initiative out of recognition for the critical and increasing role that young Africans are playing in strengthening democratic institutions, spurring economic growth and enhancing peace and security in Africa.