Wema Bank, a leading Nigerian financial institution, has joined forces with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to launch the NYSC-ALAT Accelerator Program. This partnership aims to empower Nigerian youth through skill development, job acquisition, and career advancement opportunities.
The partnership was unveiled during a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony held in Abuja. The NYSC-ALAT Accelerator Programme is an initiative designed to equip NYSC members with essential skills, funding, and resources to facilitate their smooth and profitable entry into the labour market.
The programme seeks to address the challenges of unemployment and underemployment among Nigerian youth, thereby contributing to economic performance and national development. Wema Bank and NYSC are committed to providing NYSC members with grants, funding, and digital training in areas such as design thinking, artificial intelligence, programming languages, and content creation.
Participants in the NYSC-ALAT Accelerator Programme will have access to mentorship opportunities and participate in a business plan competition. The competition aims to help participants develop comprehensive business plans and reward the best entrepreneurial ideas that foster job creation. Additionally, the programme will provide loans to all participants, enabling them to build sustainable streams of income.
Tunde Mabawonku, Executive Director of Retail and Digital at Wema Bank, emphasised the importance of the partnership, stating, “Wema Bank, with 79 years of financial inclusion, is committed to empowering lives through innovation. This partnership with NYSC is a platform for the growth and development of Nigerian youth, intertwining digital technology with daily life and driving economic growth. Our vision is to provide the youth with tools that will accompany them beyond their service year, shaping their career and adult life.”
Representing the Director-General of NYSC, Mr. Ayodele Omotade, expressed the corps’ commitment to driving the program. “This MOU signifies our combined efforts towards wealth creation and the economic advancement of Nigerian youth. With Wema Bank’s support, we look forward to opening up career opportunities for our members and contributing to the development of a digitally skilled workforce,” he added.
The Wema Bank and NYSC partnership is a significant step towards empowering Nigerian youth, fostering entrepreneurship, and creating a digitally skilled workforce for the nation’s economic growth.