Over 150 Nigerians qualify for income activation under NIAI scheme

More than 150 Nigerians have qualified for income activation opportunities under the National Income Activation Initiative (NIAI), two months after the programme was launched to connect citizens with income-generating activities.

The initiative disclosed this at its first national graduation and income activation ceremony held virtually on Thursday.

According to a statement by the initiative, it has registered more than 1,000 participants across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with 452 onboarded and 32 vendors engaged to provide opportunities through eight pathways.

However, qualification for income activation does not necessarily mean that participants have started earning, the initiative said, adding that its success would be measured by actual income generation and sustained livelihoods.

Khuraira Musa, lead of NIAI, said the initiative was established to bridge the gap between skills acquisition and access to opportunities that enable people to earn.

She said the programme operated on the principle of “Learn, Activate, Earn”, stressing that acquiring skills alone was insufficient without access to markets and commercial opportunities.

The initiative connects qualified participants with businesses offering opportunities in digital services, product marketing, entrepreneurship, agriculture and distribution, among other areas.

Participating vendors provide pathway-specific training, market opportunities and operational support, while NIAI handles screening, assessment, participant matching and monitoring.

In his keynote address delivered through a representative, Dr Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro, Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion, represented by Mrs Oluseye Olutimayin, emphasised the need to measure participants’ earnings and economic progress over three, six and 12 months.

He said sustainable economic inclusion required stronger links between skills development, market access and financial services.

Dr Gloria Diri, First Lady of Bayelsa State urged them to demonstrate discipline, perseverance and consistency in pursuing income-generating activities.

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