Vice-President Kashim Shettima is set to inaugurate a new learning fund and empowerment platform designed to unlock the economic potential of Nigerian children, women, and youths, with a strong focus on inclusion, skills development, and enterprise growth.
The launch is scheduled for Wednesday at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, according to a statement issued on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President.
The initiative, convened by the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations System, and other Africa Social Impact Summit partners, forms part of the outcomes of the Africa Social Impact Summit 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement.
Also to be unveiled at the event is the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion platform, Nigeria’s flagship framework for advancing women- and youth-led economic empowerment through coordinated financing, co-investment structures, and performance-based accountability. The platform is expected to strengthen access to capital, skills, and market opportunities for women- and youth-owned businesses, including micro, small, and medium enterprises.
The launch will position Nigeria as the implementation hub for the African Union’s WYFEI programme, with plans to extend the platform to other African countries after its rollout in Nigeria.
Speaking ahead of the engagement, Shettima said Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on the country’s ability to mobilise funding, expertise, and partnerships around shared national priorities. He noted that effective collaboration between the public sector, private investors, and development partners would be key to strengthening human capital and accelerating inclusive economic growth.
“Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on how effectively we mobilise the private sector, development partners, and public institutions around shared national priorities. This engagement marks a critical step toward delivery-driven partnerships that unlock the full potential of our women and youth, strengthen human capital, and drive inclusive growth,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, described the ASIS 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement as a shift from dialogue to execution, stressing that the initiative is focused on translating policy commitments into measurable national impact.
According to her, the engagement will deliberately align policy, innovation, and financing frameworks to enable scalable solutions that deliver real economic outcomes for millions of Nigerians, while positioning the country as a leader in Africa’s sustainable growth and empowerment agenda.
