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Youth Investment Fund Benefits 5,200 Youth As 25,000 More Await Approval, Disbursement

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Joel Ajayi

The Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), operated by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, has disbursed loans to 5,200 youth amounting to one billion, six hundred and twenty-nine million two hundred and twenty thousand naira (N1,629,220,000.00)

The information is contained in the latest update provided to the Ministry by the NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank (NMFB), which disburses the loan. The update also showed that it was prepared to disburse to another batch of 25,000 youth as soon as their loan applications are approved. 

Total eligible applications approved stood at 6054 out of which the 5,200 disbursements were made, leaving the number of those that have been approved but yet to get disbursement, at 854. The number of unqualified applicants for the batch stood at 721.

An advisory from the Ministry revealed that some applications were turned down because the applicants did not provide valid or correct contact details for communication on further steps in the loan application; or had existing AGSMEIS or COVID-19 Loan while some others were more than 35 years old, which puts them beyond the age bracket for youth.

Other reasons are that the applicants had poor credit rating or currently had a non-performing loan with some others failing to provide a valid BVN as well as incomplete or incorrect BVN.

The Ministry wishes to further remind  beneficiaries and applicants that the monies disbursed by the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) to the youth are not grants, but repayable loans.

Meanwhile, another batch of 25,000 youth have been pre-qualified for training ahead of final clearance for disbursement with the Ministry disclosing that it was in consultations with other partners to expand the loans disbursement platform so as to fast-track access to the Fund.

Only N3 billion has been provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) out of the N12.5billion approved for the first tranche of the NYIF. So far, 54.6 % of the N3 billion has been disbursed.

About 25,000 are lined up for approval, training and eventual disbursement.

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Musawa Seeks Broader Significance for June 12

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Joel Ajayi 


The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., says June 12 must be remembered as a sacrifice that gave Nigerians democracy, beyond its status as a public holiday.


In a statement signed on Saturday by the Senior Assistant Media & Publicity to the Honourable Minister,Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Dr Nneka Ikem Anibeze Ph.D in Abuja.

Musawa stated this at the national premiere of “MKO”, a film on Chief Moshood Abiola, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Lagos, to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.


She said 33 years after June 12, 1993, many young Nigerians know it only as a holiday, but the film turns it back into memory.


“For too many young Nigerians, June 12 is simply a public holiday. This film tells them that our democracy did not arrive by chance. It was fought for. It was defended. It was paid for. This documentary is in honour of the heroes of June 12, the men and women who gave their lives for the mandate of June 12, 1993 and for the democracy Nigeria enjoys today,” the Minister said.


Musawa hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Host, for his participation in the June 12 struggle and paying the price in exile, adding that Nigeria’s creative industry will keep telling the story of its democracy with courage.


“Through film and the creative economy, Nigeria will preserve its history. A nation that forgets its past loses its way to the future. Nigeria has a story and our story deserves to be told,” she said.


Earlier, the director of the investigative documentary, Ose Oyamendan, said the film was in honour and memory of heroes who fought for Nigeria’s democracy.


“There was Hope ’93 and now there is Renewed Hope. There was a man who sacrificed his life so we may have democracy and there is a man who almost lost his life fighting for democracy who is now helping build a lasting democracy.


“There was a great man called Bashorun MKO Abiola and there is now another great man called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Democrats. Nationalists. Nation builders. Leaders of men and women. We must never forget our story. We must always honour and remember our heroes,” Oyamendan said.


Top government officials including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the wife of the President Senator Oluremi Tinubu;  Senate President  Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chief of Staff to the President Rt. Femi Gbajabiamila, state Governors, members of the National Assembly, Ministers and other distinguished dignitaries attended the premiere.

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