A non-governmental organisation, Visionary Impact Netwox, says economic empowerment of youths will have multiplier effects on governance and the state of the nation.

Its Project Director, Ms Cynthia Asoegwu, said this in a statement, in Lagos, on Tuesday.

He said the that the country’s Human Resources, especially the youths which make up the huge percentage of the population, had largely been untapped.

According to Asoegwu, a lead facilitator in the “Geared Up! Campaign”, there is need to change the narrative or reality of the average Nigerian youth for the better.

She said that the “Geared Up” initiative was aimed at empowering youth entrepreneurs to create jobs and value for all by leveraging the power and reach of media to change the narrative of Nigerian youths.

Visionary Impact Netwox is a consultancy and management social enterprise focused on developing and providing support services for youths and women focused enterprise and initiatives.

“The Giant of Africa” is fast becoming a ceremonial title as against being our reality as a nation with immense potential and resources, not to talk of our untapped human capacity, especially our very large youth population.

“The prediction of Nigeria becoming the country with the largest number of poor people by February 2018 is an obvious indication for Nigerian youths to seize their future.

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“This can be achieved with the right form of support from veterans and established personalities.

“Poverty due to gross unemployment, under employment, unfavorable policies or poorly implementation of youth focused policies, political marginalisation, poor amenities where quality health and education is a luxury, are few of the challenges youths face,” she said.

Asoegwu said that there was the need to take proactive measures not to just listing the measures, but personally going the extra mile to activate them.

She said that the current reality could be changed if youths were ”Geared Up”, an initiative that was introduced for them to be able to seize the future today.

“The major challenge of the average Nigerian youth entrepreneur is primarily access to funds and advisory support towards the establishment of a scalable and sustainable enterprise.

“Unlike most economic empowerment initiatives, this project is driven by a network of young Nigerians from all walks of life and realities who are fed up with the status quo and are willing to go the extra mile to change the narrative by developing ideal businesses.

“The youths have also developed ideas that have the capacity to generate exponential returns and create jobs massively, directly and indirectly,” she said. (NAN)