Junior Achievement Africa and Boeing have stated plans to roll out two high-impact STEM and entrepreneurship programmes in Nigeria and Togo, designed to equip young people with the skills necessary to drive innovation, sustainability, and economic growth.

This was disclosed in a statement released by the Director, JA Africa Marketing and Communications, Ellen Ukpi, and made available to The PUNCH on Thursday.

Ukpi stressed that the partnership is part of Boeing’s effort in expanding its partnership with JA Africa to scale talent development and women empowerment initiatives on the continent.

The statement said 500 secondary school girls have just joined the ‘Girls STEMpreneurship’ programme in Nigeria, as top-performing teams will receive seed funding to implement their business ideas.

It noted that immersive innovation camps will help them build essential skills for further education, self-employment, or careers in science, engineering, technology, and math fields.

While in Togo, leveraging JA Africa’s entrepreneurship ‘Company Programme’ model, 600 senior secondary school students in Togo will learn how to set up and run startups, gaining hands-on experience in market research, financial management, and leadership.

The programme in Togo will challenge participants to create viable solutions to pressing environmental issues while nurturing their business acumen.

The programmes according to the statement will include local and regional events, where students will showcase their innovative ideas, While Boeing employees will have avenues to mentor select teams and serve as judges at program competitions.

Commenting on the programme, the President of Boeing Middle East, Türkiye, Africa, and Central Asia, Kuljit Ghata-Aura, said their partnership with Junior Achievement Africa has already helped over 5,000 young people across the continent to unlock their potential.

According to Ghata-Aura, “We are confident that the programmes in Nigeria and Togo will create meaningful opportunities for a new generation of talent and support the continent’s economic development.”

Speaking also, the President and CEO of JA Africa, Simi Nwogugu, said that the expansion of their partnership with Boeing is not just a continuation of support, but it is a bold statement about the shared belief in the potential of the African youth.

“Boeing’s sustained commitment across multiple countries demonstrates trust in our education model and amplifies our role as the go-to partner for entrepreneurship education and STEM learning on the continent. Together, we are helping young people not just to imagine the future, but to build it,” Nwogugu stated.

JA Africa and Boeing have been partners since 2021, delivering entrepreneurship and sustainability programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Madagascar, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and now Togo.

Alumni of the programs have consistently demonstrated success, with many launching their businesses and becoming job creators in their communities. Such outcomes are vital for Africa, home to the world’s fastest-growing youth population.