‘Nigeria can improve economy through rural development’

Nigeria’s 70 per cent rural population will significantly improve the nation’s economy and accelerate Gross Domestic Produce (GDP) if the government and well-meaning Nigerians prioritise the need to improve the skill sets and infrastructure across rural communities.

This is according to a nonprofit organisation, True Foundation, which aims to increase the capacity of rural dwellers to contribute to national development.

The Organisation insisted that Nigeria’s rising poverty and unemployment challenge could be addressed if the nation prioritises skills development and empower people across rural communities.

Founder of the group, Brenda Ataga, while speaking at a programme in Abuja, where the organisation trained and empowered Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), said a collaborative effort from the government and privileged people in the societies could change the narrative around poverty and unemployment. 

She also noted that with a high level of out-of-school children in the country, focusing on educating the rural population remained critical to improving productivity.

Ataga said: “We are not producing enough people who are thinking into the society and who are being productive. The easiest way to increase productivity is to get people at the level of their reasoning and that’s why we are teaching them skills.

“Teaching them vocational skills will be the fastest way to provide semi-formal education for people that haven’t had the opportunity to go to primary schools. That’s what we’re doing here, just bridging that gap and ensuring that people, especially those who have been displaced by the insurgencies in their community have an opportunity to go to school and provide for their family and community.

Ataga noted that learning a skill remained impactful for small-scale businesses and could go a long way in improving the sustainability of businesses. 

She noted that the non-profit organisation have trained over 2000 people and impacted over 5000 people since 2013, adding that the IDP training on vocations was a key part of the organisation’s plan.

Ataga said there is a need for more Nigerians to rise to the challenge of assisting the less privileged in society to become independent.