Sterling Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, has partnered with Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) to sponsor 1,000 fellows during this year’s training programme.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman said, at the launch of the programme in Lagos, that the bank is supporting NJFP because of its interest in the education sector as one of five sectors it is presently concentrating investments in under its HEARTs of Sterling programme.

The other sectors are Health, Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Transportation.

The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) is a youth empowerment partnership initiative between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and was launched in 2021.

It was borne out of rising unemployment and the COVID-19 pandemic which adversely impacted the ability of young Nigerians to find work.

The programme seeks to connect talented graduates with local job opportunities that apply their expertise while equipping them with world-class practical knowledge and relevant skills and it does not matter if an applicant does not have job experience.

NJFP targets a broad range of sectors, including the start-up economy, innovation, and creative industries, the digital and technology sector, the green economy sector, financial services, key public and international development institutions, research and development, agriculture, real estate, construction, transportation, and health services. In other words, there is a place for every organisation in this programme.

It will be recalled that as part of its commitment to the reduction of unemployment among youths in the country, Sterling Bank Plc had recently renewed its partnership with iCreate Africa to provide a payment system that allows qualified workers to purchase tools and pay in instalments.

Consequently, the bank has also introduced different packages so that skill-seekers can access soft loans to buy tools and it is encouraging skill-seekers not to let the opportunity to slip off their hands.

Also as part of this strategy, Sterling Bank had also expanded its Café One community to Abuja in partnership with iCreate.