Lagos Govt to pay 4,000 unemployed graduates N40,000 for 6 months

May 6, 2021

Lagos State government has concluded plans to pay 4,000 unemployed graduates N40,000 monthly for six months.

Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke said the initiative would be implemented through the ministry’s Graduate Internship Placement Programme (GIPP) intended to address unemployment.

The commissioner said the programme, planned to last for six months, would expose interns to a particular job, profession or industry and enhance networking.

She noted that through the initiative, interns will be given the opportunity to excel and possibly learn a job with the organisation as they are exposed to professional skills and interpersonal relationships in a structured setting.

She said: “The GIPP is to assist Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and other companies to choose from the state’s database of groomed talent/interns, to enhance productivity and boost their businesses, thereby promoting economic growth at no cost through government’s intervention.

“51,514 graduates applied for the internship online; over 1,932 companies indicated interest to onboard the interns after their trainings and 4,736 applicants attempted the online assessment test.

“About 1,000 candidates who scored a minimum of 60 per cent were invited for the first tranche of the training, 4,000 interns are targeted to be placed on a monthly stipend of N40,000 for six months.”

According to the commissioner, 123,720 jobs have been created and 14,646 small businesses supported since the ministry was established in 2015. She added that 51,142 new tax payers were on-boarded and 3,395 young persons were placed in jobs.

Arobieke said the ministry was also working towards establishing an Artisans’ Virtual Market to encourage the ease of doing business and make transactions seamless.

According to her, artisans would be on-boarded onto the portal; residents can call for services online and give a report afterward as the portal would have a feedback system.