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By Chinenye Anuforo
Easybuy, a leading smartphone and electronics financing company, has entered into a partnership with WAWUAfrica to provide skills training and economic empowerment opportunities for 10 million Nigerian youths and women across the country.
The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Lagos, is expected to support Nigeria’s drive towards greater economic and financial inclusion by equipping participants with market-relevant skills and improving access to digital tools.
Under the initiative, beneficiaries will receive training in digital and information technology literacy, financial education, entrepreneurship, creative arts and design, hospitality, tourism, and other sectors aimed at enhancing employability and wealth creation.
As part of the agreement, Easybuy was named the Official Device Financing and Lifestyle Partner for the Federal Government-approved programme, which is being launched through the Office of the Vice President and coordinated by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI).
The initiative is being implemented by WAWUAfrica in collaboration with several government agencies and development partners, including the Federal Ministries of Youth Development, Women Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs, and Trade and Investment, as well as the World Bank, African Union Sixth Region Global, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and professional bodies such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (CRMI), and the Nigeria Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NIIE).
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Sales Director of Easybuy Nigeria, Abdul-gaffar Adesoji, said the company’s involvement was aimed at bridging the digital access gap that continues to limit economic participation for many Nigerians.
“Smartphones have become essential tools for participation in the modern economy, yet millions of Nigerians remain unable to access them due to affordability challenges. Through this partnership, Easybuy will help close this gap by providing flexible device financing solutions that empower individuals and create new economic opportunities,” he said.
Adesoji disclosed that Easybuy would also create up to 10,000 sales-related jobs for trained participants selected from the programme’s beneficiaries.
According to him, the initiative aligns with the company’s broader objective of improving access to technology and enhancing livelihoods across Nigeria.
Chief Executive Officer of WAWUAfrica, Emmanuel Lennox, described the partnership as a strategic step towards translating skills acquisition into sustainable economic participation.
He noted that integrating Easybuy’s device financing model into the training ecosystem would enable beneficiaries to gain both skills and the digital tools needed to participate effectively in the economy.
“This collaboration goes beyond training. It creates a complete ecosystem where participants can access smartphones, receive free training, and leverage new opportunities to earn income and build businesses,” Lennox said.
He added that the initiative was designed to remove barriers that often prevent individuals from fully benefiting from skills development programmes.
Industry stakeholders believe the partnership addresses a significant challenge facing Nigeria’s digital economy. Despite growing internet connectivity, more than 120 million Nigerians remain offline, with smartphone affordability identified as one of the major barriers to digital access.
The initiative also seeks to contribute to efforts aimed at reducing financial exclusion. Recent estimates indicate that nearly 29 million adult Nigerians remain outside the formal financial system, while access to banking services remains limited in many rural and low-income communities.
By combining skills development, digital access and income-generating opportunities, the partners say the programme will support inclusive growth and expand economic participation among underserved populations.
