The Lagos State Secretariat of the National Youth Service Corps has flagged off its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme for the 2026 Batch A, Stream II corps members, pairing the launch with a financial literacy conference anchored by KudiMata and the NNPC Foundation.

The flag off, held at the orientation camp, featured a rally in which NYSC officials and corps members marched through the grounds bearing placards that promoted entrepreneurship, innovation, and the value of the SAED initiative. The Head of SAED, Ehimwenma Itohan, participated in the rally alongside corps members.

Lagos State Coordinator Christiana Salmwang urged participants to treat the programme as a serious platform for self reliance and career development, adding that poor financial habits carry long term consequences. She encouraged corps members to take full advantage of SAED and related initiatives for both personal and professional growth.

Running concurrently as a virtual engagement, KudiMata and the NNPC Foundation convened a financial literacy conference themed "A Journey to Self Actualisation." The Managing Director of KudiMata, Kathleen Erhimu, delivered the keynote, pressing corps members to save consistently, monitor their expenses, and define clear financial goals.

Erhimu further advised attendees to build additional income streams from skills gained through SAED, noting that financial independence depends on discipline, consistency, and diversified revenue sources. She cautioned against reckless borrowing, stressing the importance of understanding loan terms before making any commitment.

On investment safety, Erhimu warned corps members to stay away from fraudulent investment schemes and to transact only with platforms licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria and other recognised regulatory bodies.

As a concrete takeaway, she disclosed that corps members can enrol in a free financial literacy course on the KudiMata platform by entering their state codes, with certificates awarded upon completion.

The SAED flag off forms part of a broader push by NYSC to shift corps members from employment seekers to employment creators, combining entrepreneurship training with practical financial education to prepare them for post service life.