The Federal Government has flagged off a free nationwide financial inclusion and literacy training programme targeting 10 million Nigerians, with priority for women and youths.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima said Nigeria can only fully harness its demographic dividend if young people and women are equipped with relevant skills, ethical grounding, and digital competencies needed for a fast-growing digital economy.

He explained that the programme, coordinated by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion, is designed to provide essential financial, investment, and digital skills for sustainable wealth creation.

As part of the initiative, the Federal Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with six professional bodies, including ICAN, CIBN, CIS, CRMI, NICA, and NIIE, to jointly develop training programmes, certification pathways, and digital skills platforms.

The Vice President described the agreement as a strategic investment in human and institutional capacity, stressing that financial inclusion goes beyond access to competence, trust, and capability.

Leaders of the professional bodies and technical partners commended the initiative, pledged their support for its successful implementation, and said the programme would strengthen Nigeria’s financial ecosystem and support economic growth.