FG launches NJFP 2.0 to create 20,000 jobs annually, empower youth across economic sectors
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Federal Government of Nigeria on Monday announced the upcoming launch of the second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP), targeting the creation of at least 20,000 jobs annually.
The initiative aims to connect high-potential graduates with real-world work experience, training, and mentorship, advancing youth employment and entrepreneurship.
Vice President Kashim Shettima will officially flag off NJFP 2.0 on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, in Abuja.
The event will also feature the opening of a High-Level Policy Dialogue on Job Creation themed “From Skills to Jobs and Enterprises: Driving Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship in Key Economic Sectors.”
Ahead of the launch, Shettima inaugurated the NJFP 2.0 Project Steering Committee and charged members to ensure the programme’s inclusivity: “We must ensure that this opportunity reaches every corner of the country — and that placements are tied to the sectors that will shape Nigeria’s future: agriculture, digital technology, renewable energy, manufacturing, and the creative industries.”
Describing NJFP as a key part of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Shettima stated, “The programme represents a deliberate attempt to translate the nation’s demographic strength into productive economic power, demonstrating that when government provides structure, partnership, and purpose, young Nigerians rise to the occasion.”
The NJFP, coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and implemented by the UN Development Programme with funding from the European Union, was launched in 2022 and has already empowered over 14,000 young Nigerians through paid fellowships.
Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, detailed, “NJFP 2.0 will place a minimum of 24,000 fellows over the next 10 months with the new phase creating two clear pathways for every fellow: a pathway to employment and a pathway to entrepreneurship.”
He emphasised the administration’s focus on impact, “This shows that this administration is not only focused on policy — it is focused on impact. Through NJFP 2.0, we are demonstrating how government programmes can translate into real opportunities for decent work and enterprise creation for young Nigerians.”
European Union Ambassador Gautier Mignot expressed confidence in the programme’s potential to transform young lives, while UNDP Resident Representative Elsie Attafuah praised the initiative’s role in building a national and continental ecosystem for job creation.
Shettima concluded with a call to deliver tangible results, “We have an opportunity here to demonstrate what partnership done right can achieve: where government leads with clarity, partners contribute with confidence, and results speak for themselves.”
