The Federal Government has vowed that it will address the plight of the poor and vulnerable Nigerians despite the economic challenges facing the country.
The Minister, Humanity Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq, unveiled the plan at the flag-off of the Mobile Money Agents Training programme, on Monday in Kano.
She said that was why it initiated the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) as a strategy for delivering pro-poor initiatives and enhancing social inclusion, especially among the poor and the vulnerable.
Umar-Farouq said that during the past five years, over 12 million households have benefitted from the NSIP interventions across the country.
“In view of the life-changing experience of the beneficiaries of NSIP, President Buhari has graciously approved the expansion of the programme in all clusters to ensure that more lives are lifted out of poverty.
“The mobile money agents were introduced in 2020 to sustain the social inclusion agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“It is in consistent with the President’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030,” she said.
The minister said the programme was designed to kit and tool unemployed youths and develop their competence to operate as registered mobile money agents.
“This training will enable these beneficiaries to meet the minimum technical and business requirements for becoming mobile money agents and enhance their entrepreneurial competence,” she said.
According to her, they would be registered with the Shared Agency Network Expansion Facility (SANEF) as mobile money agents.
She said they would be provided with Point-Of Sale (POS) machines, fingerprints scanner, furniture and a capital of N20,000.
Umar-Farouq said that would provide job opportunity to 1,850 youths in the country.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Sanusi Saidu-Kiru, commended the Federal Government for the programme.
He said the state is among the highest beneficiaries of the NSIP interventions.
