𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚, 𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

In a bid to bolster efforts towards job creation, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Employment, Labour, and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, concluded a productive series of discussions with key institutions in Abuja on Monday, February 19, 2024.

The purpose of Minister Swaray’s visit is to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange with counterparts in Nigeria, particularly focusing on innovative job creation models. The discussions aimed to enhance the capacity of Swaray’s strategic ministry in working to address the pressing challenges of job creation, aligning with Sierra Leone’s ambitious presidential initiative to generate 500,000 jobs.

During his meeting with Mr. Temitols Adekunle Johnson, MFR, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, Minister Swaray commended Nigeria’s steadfast support to Sierra Leone, particularly during challenging times. In turn, Mr. Johnson welcomed Minister Swaray’s initiative to establish collaboration and exchange ideas, emphasizing Nigeria’s commitment to creating sustainable employment opportunities despite global economic headwinds.

Mr. Johnson highlighted the Federal Government’s Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme for Nano businesses across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, designed to foster self-reliance among entrepreneurs. He expressed eagerness for robust collaboration and idea-sharing to realize common aspirations in job creation.

In a separate engagement, Minister Swaray met with Ife Adebayo, the National Coordinator of the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises Programme (iDICE), an initiative aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and innovation in digital technology and creative industries to spur job growth. The Minister also pledged to explore further opportunities for partnership to contribute to President Bio’s commitment to creating 500,000 jobs for Sierra Leoneans.

The discussions between Sierra Leone and Nigeria signify a promising step towards cross-border collaboration in addressing the shared challenge of unemployment and fostering economic growth in the region.