Tinubu Assures Investors of Tech-Savvy Nigerian Youths

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday said Nigerian youths are tech-savvy, eager to learn and well-positioned to compete in the global digital economy, assuring investors that the country’s young population remains its greatest asset.

The President also welcomed Mastercard’s plan to train five million businesses in digital skills, saying the initiative aligns with his administration’s drive to empower youths and strengthen small businesses through technology.

Tinubu spoke at the State House, Abuja, while receiving a delegation of Mastercard led by its Global Chief Executive Officer, Michael Miebach, according to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.

The President said ongoing economic reforms had repositioned and stabilised the economy for greater participation in the global market, while efforts to formalise the country’s vast informal sector would unlock opportunities for investment, employment and growth.

“The most important asset is our youth,” Tinubu said.

He noted that more small businesses were embracing technology and registering formally, stressing the importance of payment platforms and financial inclusion for micro, small and medium enterprises.

“What you have been doing with our young population is commendable, and we will continue to support that in every form. As the host country, the agreements we have with you are valid, and I want you to see us as partners,” the President added.

Also speaking, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, said the administration’s reforms had created opportunities in digital services, payments and the credit economy.

According to him, over 10,000 informal businesses have been applying for registration daily in recent months, reflecting growing confidence in the reform agenda.

“We are creating opportunities for work within the digital economy and the formalisation of the very large informal sector that we have in Nigeria,” Oyedele said.

In his remarks, Miebach pledged Mastercard’s support for the Federal Government’s economic reforms, noting that the company had operated in Nigeria since 2011.

He said Mastercard was helping small businesses grow through digital solutions and capacity-building programmes, while also supporting efforts to deepen financial inclusion.

“We want to drive the intra-African digital economy,” Miebach said.

The Mastercard chief executive disclosed that the company had developed a framework to empower millions of Nigerian small businesses with digital skills and would implement a three-year programme focused on capacity building, cybersecurity awareness and digital transformation.