LEAP Africa partners Citi Foundation to empower Nigerian youths

LEAP Africa in collaboration with Citibank Nigeria and the Citi Foundation hosted a one-day roundtable meeting with stakeholders from the educational sector. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the needs and challenges/opportunities in the Nigerian education sector with specific focus on low-income communities. Stakeholders from the government, education and youth ministries, as well as youth focused NGOs deliberated and shared innovative solutions and intervention programmes including the partnership between LEAP and the Citi Foundation under the Pathways to Progress initiative. Discussions highlighted the significance of inculcating leadership and life skills into the Nigerian curriculum, particularly for secondary schools.

A statement by Citi says that there is a growing understanding that the purpose of education goes beyond acquiring technical skills, and that it is a powerful tool for changing the mind-set of children to live productively and ethically.

Given the structural conditions that limit opportunities for social mobility, more can be done within educational systems to help the youth navigate around existing limitations and contribute meaningfully to society and communities, the statement states.

The learnings from the discussion will be deployed to improve the learning outcomes of young people in Nigerian secondary schools through the Be the Change (BTC) programme.

Be the Change is part of Citi and the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative to prepare urban youth to thrive in today’s economy.

Led by the philanthropic efforts of the Citi Foundation, and strengthened by the active involvement of dedicated Citi volunteers, the Pathways to Progress initiative supports programs that help young people build an entrepreneurial mind-set, acquire leadership, financial and workplace skills, and begin to engage in the formal economy through a first job. Funded with an $80,000 grant from the Citi Foundation, BTC is designed to equip youth between the ages of 13 – 18 years with the leadership, life and employability skills required to achieve personal excellence, build and stretch their career ambition and help them transition into higher education, paid employment or profitable self-employment.

According to Akin Dawodu, Citi Nigeria CEO, “If we are to grow our economy and safeguard our communities, we must invest in the development of Nigeria’s youth during their formative years and ensure they are on the right economic path. Citi and the Citi Foundation have leveraged their global footprint in developing tried and tested solutions to tackle youth unemployment across. Our partnership with LEAP will ensure the students experience tailored interventions and first-class teaching, which will impact many more students in the years to come.”