A Non-Governmental Organisation, Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), says it has redefined Nigeria’s economic intervention space through its various programmes that launched no fewer than one million youths to success in the last 20 years.

The Chairman of the NGO, Mrs. Folake Ani- Mumuney, disclosed this at the 20th Anniversary of the organisation held on Friday, in Lagos.

Ani-Mumuney who is also the Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, First Bank of Nigeria PLC , said that the task of building a strong and robust economy should not be left to the government alone.

“As a nation, we cannot leave everything to government alone, with over 60 per cent of the population being youths.

“It is, therefore, our task to create opportunities for the youth and ensure they become job creators as against remaining as job seekers.

“That is why JAN set itself out to deliver programmes on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

“In our 20 years of existence, we are pleased to say that we have touched about one million lives across the country.

“Our alumni network boasts of pedigree of extremely successful people who testified that JAN contributed to their business growth.

“Companies such as: Paga, CCHub, Slum to School, and Fate Foundation, were offshoots of JAN,” she said.

According to her, aside reaching about one million youths, its presence has been felt in over 22, 000 classrooms across the country.

She said that JAN made huge economic impact because it had on its Bpboard, Chief Executives of organisations such as: CitiBank, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Schlumberger, among others.

According to her, the board members bring their expertise, knowledge and resources to drive the growth of JAN’s programme in the country.

She added that Nigeria could have home grown solutions to some of its challenges if she could begin to implement the outcome of the projects created by students that participated in JAN’s National Company of the Year Competition (NCOY).

“The students displayed great ingenuity and innovation in their projects, JAN’s training ignite the spark in them to experience the world of business,” she said.

Ani-Mumuney said that to ensure sustainability of JAN, it would continue to collaborate with partners, double capacity and ensure that their impact was accelerated and felt quickly in the country.

She said that the pace of change to ensure a strengthened economy was a collective responsibility that everyone should embrace, saying JAN would utilise digital solutions to bridge noticeable gaps in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that JAN is part of the world’s oldest economic empowerment NGO, Junior Achievement Worldwide (JAWW), established in 1919, with network in 121 countries.

The network inspires and educates young people to become conscientious business leaders by implementing economic education programmes that develop attitudes and skills necessary for personal success and social responsibility.

JAN leverages its access to hundreds of its programmes and initiatives that had been tried and tested in several countries around the world that were facing similar issues of developing youths to compete globally in the 21st Century and beyond. (NAN)

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