By Muhammad Amaan
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, says Nigeria is working with the World Bank to develop a job-creation agenda.
Mr Edun made this known during an interview with journalists after the World Bank Development Committee plenary held on Friday in Washington D.C.
He said the meeting focused on creating jobs and ensuring that young people in Nigeria have a secure and promising future.
According to him, the aim is to set a direction for the World Bank and its Governors to agree on a forward-looking development agenda.
Edun explained that the role of multilateral development institutions is central to driving global development, particularly through collaboration with country governors.
He emphasised the importance of the World Bank’s focus on job creation as a way of securing the future for young people globally.
He added that Africa, with a projected 25 per cent of the world’s youth by 2050, was a key focus of the discussion.
The minister noted that a stable macroeconomic environment and financial security are essential to support job creation in Nigeria.
He stressed the need to attract private sector investment to generate quality, domestic jobs rather than relying on outsourced roles.
Edun said the committee’s priorities align with President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda, which aims to stabilise the economy and attract both local and foreign investors.
He stated the plan includes raising productivity, growing the economy and especially creating employment opportunities for Nigeria’s youth.
According to Edun, another goal is to prevent young people from leaving their countries in search of better-paying jobs abroad.
“The objective is to create jobs locally, empower youth, and support this through essential infrastructure.
“For young people, that includes digital infrastructure, access to data, internet, and fibre optic networks, to enable them to work remotely,” he added.
