FG collaborate with EU, UNDP to invest $220m in creating employment opportunities for youths

The federal government has announced plans to invest $220 million in creating employment opportunities for young Nigerians through second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP 2.0).

Vice-president Kashim Shettima made the announcement on Wednesday, October 22, in Abuja during the official launch of the new phase of the programme.

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s unemployment rate rose to 5.3 percent in the first quarter of 2024 before dropping to 4.3 percent in the second quarter.

In a post shared on X, Shettima explained that the NJFP 2.0, implemented in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is designed to equip talented graduates with practical work experience, professional training, and mentorship to boost their employability.

He added that the second phase will focus on aligning graduates’ skills with the demands of emerging sectors such as technology, energy, agriculture, and the creative industries.

“Our goal is to bridge the transition gap between learning and earning for thousands of young Nigerian graduates who have the education, but not always the opportunity,”Shettima said.

Shettima said the programme seeks to transform Nigeria’s demographic strength into “productive economic power,” by connecting talented young people to practical career pathways and encouraging private sector participation.

“This programme proves that when the government provides structure, partnership, and purpose, young Nigerians rise to the occasion,” the vice-president said.

He noted that the president Bola Tinubu administration is determined to institutionalize the jubilee fellows programme by embedding it into Nigeria’s national planning and budgeting frameworks, ensuring long-term sustainability beyond donor funding.

“While the NJFP is a Nigerian programme shaped by national priorities and guided by our sense of purpose, this administration is committed to deepening its ownership and ensuring it remains part of our national development agenda,” he added.

The federal government had launched the first edition of the programme in September 2021 to connect graduates to one-year paid internship placements

The first phase targeted over 20,000 fellows nationwide, offering on-the-job experience, digital skills training, and career mentorship.