QNET, a global lifestyle and wellness direct-selling company, has commenced the second phase of its financial literacy programme, FinGreen, to equip the youths in Nigeria with the knowledge needed for socio-economic empowerment.
LEADERSHIP reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had reported earlier this year that financial literacy in Nigeria was low, at 64.1 per cent due to a lack of professional trainers and financial education outlets.
The FinGreen initiative is designed to impart critical financial management skills and knowledge by training young leaders drawn from various communities to become trainers and champions of financial literacy and economic empowerment among the youth.
QNET and its local partner in Nigeria,Transblue, launched the programme in partnership with Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) and Financial Literacy For All (FLFA) as the implementation and content training partners, respectively.
The regional manager for the Sub-Saharan Africa, QNET, Mr Biram Fall, at the Fingreen Phase 2 training of trainers event on Wednesday in Lagos, averred that Nigeria has a high financial exclusion rate compared to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Fall said QNET recognised the fact that financial literacy is essential for financial inclusion, hence the reason it has partnered with Transblue to develop plans to deliver the best to Nigerians by providing the youth with entrepreneurship opportunities. He averred that financial inclusion and literacy are part of QNET’s CSR and corporate values, not merely dreams, adding that as micro-entrepreneur developers, the company knows that education and inclusivity are crucial to a better future.
“Today, we launch the second phase of our transformative financial literacy program, FinGreen. This initiative has empowered youth, women, and entrepreneurs in vulnerable communities across Nigeria. We have enabled at least 600 individuals to make informed financial decisions through comprehensive financial education, and this is just the beginning. Our goal is to train at least 600,000 Nigerians in few years,” he further stated.
He disclosed that FinGreen will be launched in disadvantaged communities globally to assist the UN SDGs and build stable and healthy economies in developing nations.
“We intend to give back to this country that has given so much to us. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all our partners, stakeholders, and participants who have contributed to the success of FinGreen thus far. Together, let us continue to work tirelessly towards a Nigeria where financial stability, security, and prosperity are accessible to all,” he stated.
In the same vein, the CEO of Transblue Nigeria Limited, Mr Abiodun Akeem Ajisafe, stated that there was a growing demand for job creation among young people in Nigeria to drive economic growth. By offering Nigerians chances for economic empowerment through entrepreneurial education, financial literacy, skill development, and
company management training, QNET is committed to bridging the gap, Ajisafe said.
Speaking on the first phase, Ajisafe said: “FinGreen’s pilot phase was launched and began in Nigeria from June to September of last year, and it was a huge success. Our trainer facilitators, who were pioneer trainees in the pilot phase, educated over 500 youths in Lagos, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo States on financial literacy.”
On FinGreen phase 2, the CEO of Transblue revealed that the new phase would include new topics like investing and debt management and budgeting and saving, which were already in the previous phase, adding that, “The programme would also provide training on entrepreneurial skills and business management, helping individuals to start and grow their businesses. We believe the QNET Fingreen Phase 2 has the potential to bring long-term benefits to more young people in various communities across the six different geo-political zones in Nigeria, including improved financial stability and increased economic opportunity.”
The phase two of FinGreen also aimed at building on prior successes and increase QNET’s commitment to financial empowerment, the executive director, Financial Literacy for All, Laja Shoniran said, adding that, “We are training 25 youths in the batch 2 of the programme and we are hoping that the 25 Nigerians will go into their various communities to train others. In that way, we will be able to achieve our target of training 600,000 people to be financially literate.”
Meanwhile, one of the beneficiaries of the initiative, Ms Faith Enang, said the knowledge she got from the training has helped her to be financially literate, adding that she has been able to train others in her community, who are now excelling in their businesses.