The Federal Government has unveiled plans to invest $220 million (approximately N332 billion) in a large-scale job creation initiative for Nigerian youths. The programme, launched in partnership with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), marks the second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0.
This new phase aims to connect talented graduates with practical work experience, professional training, and mentorship opportunities to help them transition successfully from school to the workforce.
Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the initiative on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during the official launch of NJFP 2.0.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s unemployment rate stood at 5.3% in the first quarter of 2024, before declining slightly to 4.3% in the second quarter.
Speaking at the event, Shettima said the programme’s primary goal is to “bridge the transition gap between learning and earning for thousands of young Nigerians graduates who have the education but not always the opportunity.”
He emphasized that the initiative seeks to transform the country’s youthful population into an engine of economic productivity. “This programme demonstrates that when government provides structure, partnership, and purpose, young Nigerians rise to the occasion,” he stated.
The Vice President further explained that while the NJFP is a homegrown initiative aligned with Nigeria’s development priorities, the Tinubu administration intends to strengthen it by integrating the programme into the national planning and budgeting framework.
“This government will play its part by ensuring that our financial commitment matches our belief in the programme’s transformative power,” Shettima said. “But national ownership also means national participation. We urge our partners from the private sector, development agencies, and donor institutions to join us in building the NJFP Basket Fund, a sustainable financing mechanism to secure the programme’s future.”
He noted that the government’s immediate goal is to raise $220 million, describing it not as charity but as “an investment in the nation’s most valuable resource to its young people.”
The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme was first launched in September 2021 to address youth unemployment and bridge the gap between academic learning and workplace experience.
The first phase of the initiative benefited over 20,000 young Nigerians, providing them with on-the-job training, digital skills development, and mentorship opportunities to enhance their employability in a competitive labor market.
