Citi Foundation commits $25m to prepare youth for AI-driven economy
Citibank
Nike Popoola
The Citi Foundation has launched its fourth Global Innovation Challenge, committing $25 million to initiatives aimed at equipping young people, particularly those from low-income communities, with the skills and opportunities required to succeed in an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI).
The foundation announced the initiative on September 9, 2026, through a Request for Proposals (RFP) for community organisations working to bridge the digital and AI divide among young people.
Under the programme, 50 selected organisations globally will each receive $500,000 to advance youth employment and economic mobility.
Head of Community Investing and Development at Citi and Head of the Citi Foundation, Brandee McHale, said AI fluency was becoming critical to unlocking opportunities in the future workforce.
She said the initiative would help young people develop AI fluency and acquire the skills required for jobs of the future, while supporting them to become innovators and leaders.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Citibank Nigeria Limited, Nneka Enwereji, said Nigeria had a new generation of young people with ideas and ambition who were already contributing to the future of the economy.
She said investments in digital, AI and human-centric skills would help more young people seize emerging opportunities, drive innovation and expand economic opportunities in their communities.
According to the World Economic Forum, about 66 per cent of employers expect to hire talent with specialised AI skills. The foundation also noted that more than 60 per cent of employers were reporting increased demand for human-centric skills, including critical thinking, resilience and flexibility.
The Global Innovation Challenge will support organisations helping low-income youth develop AI and human-centric skills such as prompt engineering, digital content creation, problem-solving and critical thinking.
It will also support initiatives connecting young people to employment opportunities, integrating AI tools into existing youth employment programmes and developing cross-sector partnerships to address evolving workforce needs.
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Citi Foundation highlighted initiatives supported by organisations including FATE Foundation in Nigeria, Girl Effect in Kenya and Seriti Institute in South Africa.
FATE Foundation supports Nigerian youth with financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills, while Girl Effect focuses on job opportunities and vocational training for young people in Kenya. Seriti Institute provides South African youth with technical, business and digital skills in sustainable agriculture.
Eligible organisations have until October 6, 2026, at 5 p.m. Lagos time to submit their interest, with recipients expected to be announced in 2027.
