Stakeholders seek use of PPP model to tackle youth unemployment

Experts in Nigeria’s business sector have said that Public Private Partnership (PPP) between the government and the private sector can be a veritable driver of youth employment. The experts said collaborations among governments, business communities, and non-profit organisations in empowering the teeming youths to create innovative solutions will help solve some of the key challenges in the society.

According to them, empowering Nigerian youths with the needed skills and mentorship from professionals will enable them to become employers of labour, instead of waiting for the government to provide jobs for them. Speaking at a boot camp organised by the Young Innovation Leaders Fellowship (YIL), to train and empower African youths in Lagos, Head, Youth Segment, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Michael Nwoseh, said such programmes will enable youths to drive innovative solutions to unemployment challenge. He said the government has a key role to play in supporting such ventures, noting that partnerships with the private sector players that are already training the youths through such programme will not only reduce unemployment but create solutions to some of the problems confronting the country.

His words: “PPP between the government, non-profit organisations, and even the business community will go a very long way in creating innovative solutions to some of the challenges facing the Nigerian society today, including the problem of unemployment.

“This is vital because the government alone cannot solve the problem of the surging level of unemployment among youths. The government needs to create the needed enabling environment, education, and support to these young stars to thrive.”He stressed the need for the government to support young entrepreneurs with grants and tax rebates, saying it is very key to ensuring that young businesses flourished in Nigeria.

Speaking further, Nwoseh said the partnership with YIL is vital to the bank, as it aims to discover unique solutions that will emanate from the programme, and how to support young entrepreneurs, noting that its core values are excellence, professionalism, innovation, and customer focus.

In his remarks, President, YIL, Obichi Obiajunwa, said the programme has seen the creation of solutions to water sanitation and hygiene, use of ICT in agriculture, improving mental health, stem maternal mortality, and prevent gender-based violence.He said: “This programme has given us hope that a whole lot of Nigerians are already thinking of how to solve problems in the society, and also making a business out of the problem solving, which is important in job creation and empowerment of young people.

“I believe these solutions will thrive because it was based on the happenings in the society, and something that can flourish on its own as a commercial venture the moment they have the right resources to scale it up to the level it should get to.”Director of Programmes, YIL, and Managing Partner, HUTZPA Innovations, Nnamdi Ifeagwu, said the programme aims to ensure that people who are on the platform, leads, inspire, and manage innovation in all stages of their lives.

­­­­He maintained that the growth of the nation lies in the hands of the government, private sector, and individuals, who make up the society, stressing the need for the government to show commitment to see that such ideas do not die.He said: “We recognise that the government is burdened with other responsibilities, however, we believe that the solutions are such that will benefit the government more, and help them solve the problems facing the electorates in the society.”