The World Bank on Tuesday said that it has
budgeted $300 million (equivalent to about N4.8
billion) for Youth Employment and Social
Support Operation (YESSO) scheme in Nigeria.
Marie-Francoise Mariel-Nelly, Country Director of
the World Bank in Nigeria disclosed this in Abuja
at the 53rd Annual conference of the Nigerian
Economic Society (NES).
“We are preparing a Youth Employment and
Social Support operation (YESSO) aiming at
supporting the provision of immediate work
opportunities and skills development for
unemployed youths and women from poor
households,” she said.
Ms Mariel-Nelly said increasing youth
employment was one of the bank’s global
priorities as it had observed that one in five of
all new job seekers in Africa were Nigerians.
“The $300 million project will cover all parts of
the country in up to 20 states,” she said.
She said that the World Bank with support from
the EU would launch the State Employment and
Expenditure for results project (SEEFOR) in the
Niger Delta region.
She said the aim was to take youths off the
streets as well as improve the country’s
infrastructure.
According to her, ACCESS bank had
demonstrated commitment to opening
employment opportunities for graduates of
Information Communication Technology through
target training in core competencies
benchmarked to global industry standards.
“The bank provides matching grant as seed
money to empower young farmers to adopt new
technologies and acquire capital assets, which
they use to undertake a wide range of value
addition and small-scale income generating
activities,” she said.
She said youth unemployment was a threat to
social and political stability as was evident in
the youth restiveness in the Niger Delta.
Ms Mariel-Nelly said the bank would continue to
support government efforts to address the
challenge of unemployment in the country.


Niger Delta Youth pls take note!!!