Vice-President Senator Kashim Shettima Is Set To Launch A New

Vice-President Senator Kashim Shettima is set to launch a new

Women, Youth and Children Learning and Empowerment Fund at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The unveiling is part of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2026 High-Level Policy Engagement a major platform focused on accelerating sustainable development goals across Africa through innovation, financing and partnerships.
The initiative is designed to unlock the potential of Nigerian children, women and youth by fostering opportunities in education, economic participation and personal development. It aims to tackle systemic challenges including foundational learning gaps, economic exclusion and limited access to capital that hinder inclusive growth and human capital development. The launch event is being convened by the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Sterling One Foundation, the United Nations System, and other partners of the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS). The summit theme “Scaling Action Driving Inclusive Growth through Policy and Innovation” reflects the government’s push for results-driven partnerships across sectors.
Several flagship programmes and platforms will be unveiled alongside

• A policy-backed programme to accelerate foundational literacy and numeracy, specifically addressing Nigeria’s out-of-school children challenge through coordinated action and financing
• A coalition to mobilise public and private sector resources for education and skills development nationwide.
  A flagship economic empowerment platform to drive financial inclusion, compact-based delivery, co-investment frameworks and performance accountability for women and youth. Nigeria will serve as the launch implementation platform for the African Union’s WYFEI programme, which is planned to expand to other countries thereafter.
  Ahead of the launch, Vice-President Shettima emphasised that Nigeria’s future prosperity depends on effective mobilisation of private sector investment, development partners and public institutions around shared national priorities. He described the event as a “critical step toward delivery-driven partnerships that unlock the full potential of our women and youth, strengthen human capital and accelerate inclusive growth.”
  Over 200 senior leaders from government, business, development institutions, civil society and diplomatic circles are expected to attend the launch and high-level engagements underlining the multi-sector commitment to social impact and transformational change. Sterling One Foundation’s CEO, Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe, described the initiative as a shift from dialogue to execution, emphasising collaboration among policymakers, innovators, funders and implementers to deliver real, measurable impact.
  The launch forms part of broader efforts under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to enhance human capital development, economic inclusion and sustainable growth across Nigeria. The initiative aligns with international development frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reflects the government’s emphasis on partnerships, innovation and funding mobilisation to tackle structural development challenges. With the launch set for January 28, 2026, stakeholders will begin implementing the fund’s programmes and related initiatives. The ASIS 2026 Summit serves as both a launchpad and collaborative forum to translate policy into action, attract investment, and strengthen accountability mechanisms that promote lasting impact for Nigeria’s women, youth and children.