FG to invest $220m to create jobs for Nigerian youths

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Nigerian government plans to invest $220 million in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to expand the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0.

The initiative as revealed in a statement on Wednesday obtained from Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to The Vice President on Media & Communications, is designed to bridge the gap between education and employment for young graduates.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the official flag-off ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said, “We’re bridging the transition gap between learning and earning for thousands of graduates.”

He emphasised the aim to turn Nigeria’s demographic strength “into productive economic power,” adding that “when government provides structure, partnership, and purpose, young Nigerians rise to the occasion.”

The Vice President called on partners from the private sector and development community to support the NJFP Basket Fund, describing the $220 million target not as charity, but “an investment in the nation’s most valuable asset: our young people.”

Shettima further highlighted the inclusive nature of the programme: “We recognise that our young people are not a single story, this next phase will intentionally reach every corner of the country, aligning placements with sectors that will define our economic future: agriculture, renewable energy, digital technology, manufacturing, and the creative industries.”

Minister of Youth Development Comrade Ayodele Olawande stated the NJFP has empowered over 13,000 youths since 2021, targeting 100,000 job placements within five years.

UNDP’s Resident Representative Elsie Attafuah praised the programme’s progress, noting it has helped place over 40,000 Nigerians, while EU Ambassador Gauthier Mignot expressed hope for NJFP’s integration into Nigeria’s governance for sustainability.

Sterling Bank CEO Abubakar Suleiman urged authorities to leverage Nigeria’s workforce potential noting, “Millions of Nigerians can perform the jobs currently being outsourced to foreign companies if given the right opportunities.”