Bola Ahmed Tinubu was declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023. He will be sworn into power by May 29, 2023.
In his campaign manifesto tagged “Renewed Hope”, the president-elect described the youths are a vast army of able, energetic, and willing people capable of putting this nation on the path to its finest destiny.
He reiterated this while receiving his certificate of return from the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, saying:
- “By taking this certificate, I assume a sacred duty I shall never ignore. To you the people, especially the youths, I will work day and night. I will work to the utmost of my ability to make Nigeria better.”
Ahead of his swearing-in, Nairametrics looks back at his plans for Nigerian youths. The plans are highlighted below:
Easy access to credit: According to Tinubu’s manifesto, his administration will ensure to work with the CBN to develop suitable incentives to encourage commercial banks to target low-cost loans towards a given quota of youth-led enterprises. Commercial banks will also be encouraged to ensure their loan application processes are simplified and give greater priority to young people with marketable ideas. Federally owned and affiliated banking institutions will immediately be mandated to develop similar schemes for young entrepreneurs
Business mentorship for youth: Tinubu’s administration aims to Increase intergenerational, business mentoring and cooperation with 2 million volunteers. Entrepreneurs and professionals across the nation are committed to working with youth to find employment, hone job skills and create businesses.
Youth Advisory Council: The Tinubu administration says it wants to inaugurate a youth Advisory Council to the employment action plan.
- “Youth will not be exploited to do the bidding of the government. Instead, our administration will work with and for the youth, providing them with a platform where they may fulfil their greatest aspirations.
- We shall do this by embarking on a coherent, structured policy of social economic and political empowerment of young people.”
Reform of the NYSC: Under Tinubu’s administration, he aims to strengthen a job matching programme for graduates by reforming the NYSC program to enable more participants to enter the private sector during their service years and incentivising employers to retain corps members at the end of their service.
- “Our administration shall aim to cut the youth unemployment rate in half within four years. In addition to measures stated in the sections on the general economy and the digital economy, what follows are other important steps that will give youth a fair chance to live in, and contribute to, a better, more just and prosperous Nigeria”.
Business Incubation Centres: According to Tinubu’s manifesto, he will expand incubation centres to support youth innovators to acquire and protect, through patent and trademark registration, intellectual property and other proprietary rights over inventions and innovations.
- ”We shall make permanent a biannual “State of the Youth” survey to create a platform for young Nigerians to give feedback to the government regarding their opinions on the performance of government, paying special attention to youth empowerment programs and policies.”
We desire youth empowerment devoid of corruption. We detest stomach infrastructure. Youths should learn a trade which the government can support with equipment. Monthly cash transfers to youths is nonsensical. They should go and learn handwork and be provided equipment to practice. The aged and vulnerable groups with appropriate databases can be allotted with monthly cash transfers. People now retire early. So perhaps government can brought to 60 years so they can benefit from free medical aside their monthly pensions. The onslaught on food security must genuine and not window dressing. Corruption in the sale of meters should be nipped. We need to guarantee at least 18hours or electricity supply within the first 18montqhs. The cost of meters should be reduced. Primary healthcare should be the focus of healthcare. Government support for practical farmers through Bank of Agriculture should be suqstained
I would be inclined to support Tinubu and the ruling party if they implemented a plan similar to Germany’s apprenticeship model, which involves investing in technical job training and skills upgrading. Additionally, if they reformed Nigeria’s stagnant public universities to enhance our educational standards, it would be a step in the right direction in “youth empowerment”
However, the fact that Tinubu’s generation of unsuccessful politicians cannot imagine or envision comprehensive reform of our economy is disappointing. They seem to believe that simply throwing money at people and problems is the solution, rather than recognizing that a long-awaited, methodical overhaul of our economic system is necessary and attainable.
The fact that Tinubu and his colleagues can be silenced with money does not mean that the younger generation will be similarly swayed.
Let us join hand together with our president elect to move forward
NYSC shouldn’t just be focused on getting a job – those who want to get jobs should be encouraged and helped, those who want to go into entrepreneurship should also be encouraged and helped.
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Many thanks for tinubu we pray for him and we love him
Kano state