President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, receiving a delegation from Mastercard, led by the Global Chief Executive Officer, Michael Miebach, at the State House, Abuja, said that Nigeria’s teeming youth population remains the nation's greatest asset, assuring foreign investors that the ready-to-learn and tech-savvy workforce, can easily integrate into the global market.

President Tinubu received the company's proposal to train five million businesses and equip them with digital skills.

The President said the Nigerian economy had been repositioned and stabilised to fully participate in the global economy, with a focus on empowering youths and small businesses with digital skills and tools.

The President noted that the ongoing formalisation of Nigeria's largely informal small-business sector will create more opportunities for digital transitions, investments, employment, and growth.

President Tinubu noted that the business orientation is gradually changing, with more small businesses registering and embracing technology.

The President assured that more Nigerian youths will be empowered with digital skills to tackle present and future challenges.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the economic reforms have provided opportunities for integration, particularly, in credit and payment system

Oyedele noted significant opportunities in the credit economy for MasterCard to improve payment systems in Nigeria and across Africa, such as using the naira for swaps without third currencies. He added that five of the nine fintech unicorns are in Nigeria.

Miebach assured the President of the company’s support in implementing the economic reforms.

Miebach noted that Mastercard has already created the framework and platform to empower 40 million small businesses in Nigeria with digital skills.

Miebach assured the President of investments in inclusivity, participation, trust, and resilience in a digital world, as well as a Cyber Centre of Excellence that captures and shares threat intelligence, incident response, AI risks, and other emerging risks.