IN SHORT: Unemployed young people in Nigeria are being warned not to fall for an advert asking them to register for a Lagos state internship programme. Officials say applications for 2023 have not opened.
A post asking Nigerians to register for the “ongoing Lagos State Internship program” has been circulating on Facebook in Nigeria.
The post, dated 10 May 2023, reads: “Unemployed youth with NYSC certificate and LASRRA should register for the ongoing Lagos State Internship program.”
It also lists benefits that applicants will receive if selected: “40k monthly allowance for six months; Two weeks employability training; Attachment to private organisations and possible selected public agencies based on qualification; Professional skill built-up; Possible entrepreneurial opportunities.”
Graduates in Nigeria are required to complete a one-year service programme in order to obtain the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate and be eligible for employment.
LASRRA stands for the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, which is “responsible for residents information database”.
The same message was posted on Facebook here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
But is the Lagos state government registering graduates for an internship programme? We checked.
‘Disregard fake social media message,’ says ministry
The Lagos state graduate internship programme was created in 2020 to help fresh graduates develop skills that would prepare them for the workplace.
Beneficiaries are placed in companies for internships and temporary jobs.
The link in the Facebook post directs users to the legitimate registration portal of the graduate internship programme.
But on 11 May 2023, the Lagos state ministry of wealth creation and employment asked the public to disregard the social media message.
The ministry’s spokesperson Babatunde Adele confirmed that the state ran the graduate internship programme but said it had yet to announce the start date for 2023.
“Although the Ministry has been in charge of the Graduate Internship Programme over the years. It is, however, necessary to clarify that the commencement date for the 2023 edition of the programme is yet to be made public,” Adele said in a statement.
“Members of the public are therefore advised to disregard the fake social media message … and desist from re-sharing the same message on different social media platforms."
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