The federal government has announced plans to invest $220 million in the creation of new employment opportunities for young Nigerians through the second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, disclosed this in Abuja during the official launch of the new phase of the initiative, which is jointly supported by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s unemployment rate rose to 5.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2024 before easing slightly to 4.3 per cent in the second quarter, underscoring the urgency of sustained job creation efforts for the country’s expanding youth population.
Shettima said the NJFP 2.0 aims to equip high-potential graduates with hands-on work experience, practical training, and professional mentorship to enhance their employability and readiness for the job market.
“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,” he said.
He explained that the renewed phase of the programme would focus on aligning graduate skills with emerging market demands in strategic sectors such as technology, energy, agriculture, and the creative industries.
Shettima noted that the programme is designed to transform Nigeria’s demographic advantage into productive economic power by connecting talented young people to sustainable career pathways while deepening private sector participation.
“This programme proves that when the government provides structure, partnership, and purpose, young Nigerians rise to the occasion,” the vice president added.
He said President Bola Tinubu’s administration is determined to institutionalise the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme by embedding it into the national planning and budgeting frameworks to ensure its 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,” Shettima said.
The NJFP was first launched in September 2021 under a tripartite partnership between the federal government, EU, and UNDP, to connect fresh graduates to one-year paid internship placements across public and private sector organisations nationwide.
The first phase targeted more than 20,000 fellows, providing them with on-the-job experience, digital skills training, and career mentorship designed to enhance their competitiveness in the labour market.
Officials said the new $220 million investment will scale up these efforts and introduce new industry linkages, ensuring that Nigeria’s young graduates are better positioned to contribute to national productivity and innovation.
