IN SHORT: The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund provides loans and grants to businesses in the state, the country's economic hub. But it has denied offering a free three-month training course with numerous benefits, as claimed online.
According to a post shared on Facebook in Nigeria, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) is offering a three-month training programme.
The fund was established by the Lagos state government to provide financial support to qualifying residents to tackle unemployment.
According to its website, it would operate with an initial fund of N25 billion in the first four years of its existence.
It offers empowerment programmes as well as loans and grants to business start-ups and owners. It recently gave loans ranging from N300,000 to N2 million (about US$183 to $1,220) to traders in the Ikorodu area of the state.
The Facebook post begins: “Acquire highly sought-after professional skills and gain hands-on experience through our free internship program!”
Attached to the post is a flyer purporting to show that the agency is working with organisations such as the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) to provide the training.
In August 2024, USDAF and LSETF signed agreements to work together to promote youth employment and entrepreneurship in Lagos.
The post lists several benefits for participants, including:
- Hands-on vocational skills training
- Study tour
- Internship opportunities with top industry organisations
- N120,000 transport allowance during the training
- N180,000 remuneration during the internship placement
- Job placement after the whole programme
The same claim has appeared on Facebook here and here. (Note: See other instances of claim at the end of this report).
But is the Lagos agency offering free training with these benefits? We checked.
Agency denies training scheme
In a tweet shared on its X handle, the agency denied organising the training mentioned in the Facebook post.
The tweet reads: “Please be aware that the information in this post is NOT from LSETF. Stay informed by following only our official channels for accurate updates and announcements.”
It also attached the same flyer as the Facebook post, but with a cancellation mark on it.
Although the Lagos Innovates Idea Hub, one of its programmes that supports start-ups with grants, had a call for applications on its social media platforms, applications closed on 14 September.
A search of the USADF website and social media pages found no evidence of such training.
Jobseekers should be cautious and check official company websites or trusted job boards for legitimate opportunities.
Read our guide to Facebook scams and how to spot them.
The false claim also appeared here, here, here, here, here and here.
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
Add new comment