Mastercard has partnered with Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) to help bridge the digital and financial gap between school students and young adults in Nigeria
Through a series of programmes, students will have the necessary skills to prepare them for future success as digital entrepreneurs. JAN is part of Junior Achievement Worldwide, the world’s oldest and largest non-profit economic education organisation in 120 countries.
The partnership is part of Mastercard’s global commitment to connect 25 million women entrepreneurs to the digital economy, to reach 50 million small businesses and to include one billion people in the next five years.
Using the expertise of Mastercard volunteers, the partnership with JAN will inspire young adults across Nigeria through three unique activities:
Mastercard Girls4Tech Programme: a research-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programme, Girls4Tech inspires young girls to build the skills they need in STEM to become problem solvers and tomorrow’s leaders expanding the STEM women’s employment pool in the future. The programme incorporates Mastercard’s deep expertise in payment technology and innovation, and includes algorithms, digital convergence and cryptology.
Mentoring participants of the JA Company Programme: JA Company Programme teaches senior secondary level students how to start and run their own business, develop a product or service, and market their brand. Mastercard employees will volunteer as mentors to the six finalist teams (companies) who emerged from JAN’s Virtual Company of the Year competition by refining their business proposals as they compete for the National Company of the Year Award.
Digital Payments Literacy Webinar: Together, Mastercard and JAN will educate more than 200 young adults on the future of payments in Nigeria. Participants will range from senior secondary students to National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members. This session will enlighten the next generation on building and driving the digital economy through technology.
The partnership will also see the first Junior Achievement – Mastercard prize awarded to the most outstanding student company during the virtual edition of the National Company of the Year (NCOY) competition.
“Creating inclusive, equal opportunities is a key priority for Mastercard,” said Ifeoma Dozie, director, marketing and communications, sub-Saharan Africa at Mastercard. “Through this partnership with Junior Achievement Nigeria, we can broaden our commitment to Nigeria’s next generation of women leaders and young entrepreneurs. By encouraging students to embrace subjects and mentoring them through challenges that will prepare them to be part of tomorrow’s workforce, we are collaborating to develop a talented supply of skilled professionals to aid the country’s future economy.”
