The United States has strengthened its partnerships in Lagos State to tackle youth and women unemployment, promote gender equality, enhance energy access, and stimulate economic growth.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy announced that Travis Adkins, President and CEO of the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), visited Lagos State Government and other organizations from August 18 to 21, 2024, to finalize new agreements.
Adkins’s meetings with Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment Akinyemi Ajigbotafe and the leadership of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund resulted in a five-year renewal of the USADF-LSETF Memorandum of Understanding. This renewal includes a pledge to equip 10,000 young Nigerians with essential trade skills, aimed at job creation and improved employment prospects.
Additionally, Adkins visited Reeddi Technologies Limited, a recipient of the USADF/All On off-grid energy challenge in 2020, and announced a new grant to support the company’s climate-tech innovations.
He said the funding “will enhance the design, local assembly, and distribution of Reeddi’s energy solutions, benefiting small and medium-sized businesses and households in off-grid, energy-poor communities across Nigeria.”
The USADF president also attended a grant award ceremony at a leading vocational and entrepreneurship training institute, the Field of Skills and Dreams VTE Academy, founded by U.S. government exchange alumna Omowale Ogunrinde.
The institute, through the grant award, “will offer a 12-week training programme for 400 youths aged 18-35 years old in the hospitality and fashion sectors, with the overall goal of addressing youth unemployment by improving job skills and employment outcomes.”
Mr Adkins was also at the launch of the USADF and National Basketball Players Association-supported “What If Youth and Women Empowerment Initiative” basketball camp, led by Nigerian NBA player Precious Achiuwa,” aimed at creating opportunities for youth through sports, as well as empower youth by building their skills, confidence, and resilience both on and off the court.
Throughout the four-day visit, Mr Adkins reiterated the USADF’s commitment to supporting African-led solutions needed to create pathways to prosperity across the continent, noting that the U.S. agency since 2001, “has committed over $44 million in grants and supported over 480 projects across Nigeria.”
Mr Adkins said, “Nigeria is USADF’s largest country programme and I am thrilled to visit Nigeria for the second time in 10 months. Our broad-based partnerships and investments in Nigeria reflect our dedication to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, supporting local businesses and agricultural enterprises, and providing sustainable energy solutions to underserved communities across the continent.’’
The statement indicated that the USADF Nigeria Programme has over the past two decades, focused on boosting the growth of agricultural enterprises, provision of off-grid energy solutions in underserved communities, youth and women’s employability and entrepreneurship initiatives that promote economic growth, peace and stability.
