N-Power programme, which has provided jobs for 500,000 young Nigerian graduates in the last two years, has a target of skilling 10 million Nigerians by 2023 , Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, says.

“Over the past two years, through the N-Power Programme, the largest post tertiary employment programme in Africa, we have been able to offer skills development programmes digitally to over 500,000 young citizens between the ages of 18 and 35. We have set a target of skilling 10 million Nigerians by 2023.”

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity , Osinbajo stated this during his lecture on “The Challenges of Human Development in 21st Century Africa” recently at the prestigious Oxford University, United Kingdom.

The Vice President also highlighted the provision of social housing in a Family Homes Fund as a “core plank of government’s empowerment approach, which is expected to provide another 1.5 million jobs by 2023.

He said, “Our Family Homes Fund aims to provide up to 500,000 housing units by 2023 using a concessional financing facility to construct houses at less than N5m, as well as a home loans assistance programme that will enable people at the bottom of the housing pyramid to buy their own homes at subsidized rates. This will be complemented by a rent-to-own scheme.”

He also noted that a total of N55 billion has been disbursed to 250,000 farmers under the administration’s Anchor Borrowers Programme scheme, which provides subsidised credit to small holder farmers so they can boost production with guaranteed uptake by the anchor companies

Prof. Osinbajo added that the continued diversification of the Nigerian economy by this administration and its massive investment on infrastructure are some of the initiatives it has deployed towards promoting growth and human capital development in the country.

The Vice President said, “We have also prioritized spending on infrastructure. Rail, roads, and power in particular. Despite earning 60% less than previous administration, we have spent N2.7 trillion in two budget cycles on capital, the highest in the nation’s history.

“We also executed a comprehensive, phased plan for ease of doing business which earned us 24 places higher on the World bank ease of doing business index and commendation as one of the top 10 reforming economies in the world. We launched our energizing economies project, providing solar power to markets and economic clusters for small businesses and petty traders.”