Education and Economic Growth
Through our Partnerships we supported
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At IHS Nigeria, we recognise our focus is on delivering longterm positive impact wherever we operate, strengthening educational opportunities and supporting the development of business and enterprise. Our primary aim is to promote the facilitation of economic and social value.
Recognising that digital inclusion drives entrepreneurship, we developed several initiatives that promote social and economic enterprise. Our Mission-T application, Project Empower and the School Connectivity programme are all designed to drive socioeconomic development, bridge the digital divide, empower individuals, and unlock Nigeria’s potential for socioeconomic progress. With our understanding of the role of women in driving economic growth, we created programmes specifically focused on empowering women.
In 2022, our work to increase digital inclusion and improve access to quality education resources in Nigeria had a positive impact.
We are dedicated to our mission and look forward to continuing our efforts in expanding access to mobile communication and fostering a brighter future for Nigeria.
Increasing access to education across Nigeria: SDG 4
In Nigeria, ensuring every child’s access to education remains a challenge. Currently, 10.5 million children are not enrolled in school, and only 53% of primary students transition to secondary school. However, even for those young people who have a place at school, challenges remain; 60% of grade 4 students and 44% of grade 6 students struggle to read a complete sentence. In addition, 10% of primary school students find basic arithmetic challenging*.
We believe in the transformative power of education to drive social and economic progress. Our aim, therefore, is to build inclusive and equitable access to quality education, ensuring more children have the opportunity to develop the skills needed to build fruitful careers in the future. This is why we continuously make significant efforts towards the development of the Nigerian education sector in alignment with the SDG4 Quality education.
Improving access to education resources
Our partnership with UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited initiative includes education, skills training, and employment by 2030. Supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and other private sector stakeholders, we launched the Generation Unlimited Learning Passport. This digital learning platform delivered continuous education to approximately three million learners over the course of 2022. This partnership aims to extend the platform to almost 12 million children and young people by 2025.
To further accelerate our impact and contribution to SDG 4, we are proactively collaborating with various partners to facilitate access to technological resources that empower the educational journeys of young Nigerians. Furthermore, in 2022, we built five tower kiosk centers within local communities, providing free internet access, computer facilities, and educational materials to benefit local residents.
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Building good employment opportunity, now and for the future: SDG 8
In 2021 youth unemployment rate in Nigeria was at almost 19.61%* Lack of employment has a profound effect at every level: it forces families into poverty; it encourages illegal labour; it deprives communities of the resources they need to thrive; and it halts, and even reverses, economic growth. All these have a lasting impact for the future generations.
While we strive to provide rewarding employment for people in Nigeria, we also focus on developing an environment where people can develop their skills for future employment. We are particularly focused on addressing the issue of youth and female unemployment in our country.
We initiated Project Empower to enhance the skills of people in communities thereby providing them with technical and other skills such as branding and marketing.
Project Empower aims to support them in building sustainable livelihoods. We collaborate with several partners including the Global Community Engagement Resilient Fund (GCEF), Action Aid Nigeria (AAN), LEAP Africa Field of Skills and Dreams VTE Academy, and We for Good International to build the reach of Project Empower.
In 2022 we worked across 13 communities in Ogun, Sokoto, Kano, and Delta states, reaching over 400 individuals. All participants were offered access to digital skills training, learning resources, and toolkits to kickstart their entrepreneurial ventures. We also provided business support services to guide them on their journey.
Through the project, they had the opportunity to start businesses in various sectors as varied as farming, beauty therapy, catering, telecommunications, arts, coding, and animation. Whatever the chosen venture, we supported growth and encouraged success with ongoing mentoring and certified business training through multiple platforms. Notably, all participants in Delta state obtained accredited entrepreneurship certification from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), demonstrating their readiness for entrepreneurial success.
At IHS Nigeria, we are dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of individuals by equipping them with the skills and support they need to thrive today and into the future. Through Project Empower, we are shaping a brighter future for our communities and creating opportunities for a more prosperous Nigeria.
In 2022
Project Empower
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