We note at this point that the issue of youth unemployment has assumed a global significance, and on the front burner of development discourse
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his previous administration lifted five million Nigerians out of extreme poverty, TheCable reports.
Nigeria has been ranked by the World Poverty Clock as the nation with the poorest people in the world. Poverty remains at 33.1% in the country.
President Buhari spoke at the opening of the Global Youth Employment Forum of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Abuja on Thursday.
Represented by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the federal government, Buhari said this was achieved through the National Social Investment Programme (N-SIP).
“We note at this point that the issue of youth unemployment has assumed a global significance, and on the front burner of development discourse,” he said.
“The government of Nigeria understands the need to focus attention on youth empowerment by creating the enabling environment for job opportunities and capacity building.
“The present administration from the onset, invested in our people, one of the key goals of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which is the national development blueprint from the period of 2017 to 2020.
“The implementation of the plan also has the flagship programme such as the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
“It has yielded some measurable outcomes in the form of increased school enrolment and the creation of more jobs.
The President said the programme created opportunities for Nigerians and lifted them out of extreme poverty.
“One of the key components of the NSIP is the N-Power Programme and its sub-components has led to the creation of job opportunities in different sectors of the economy for young persons.
“For example, in the past three years, the programme has yielded over 2 million direct and indirect employment opportunities and has lifted over 5 million Nigerians out of extreme poverty,” he said.