FUCAP: UNICEF, Unilever target 3m youths for entrepreneurial skills

Unilever Nigeria and UNICEF have announced the launch of the Future-X Campus Ambassadors Programme (FUCAP) to reach three million Nigerian youths and equip 700,000 of them between the ages of 16 and 24 with the requisite skills to succeed in the workplace of the future by 2026

The programme aligns with Unilever’s resolve to equip 10 million young people worldwide with essential skills to prepare them for job opportunities by 2030, and UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited Nigeria initiative – a public-private-youth partnership aimed to support 20 million young Nigerians by 2030 with skills and opportunities to transition from learning to earning, through shared-value partnerships around digital skills development, workforce readiness programmes, and young people engagement.

The FUCAP initiative was launched on UNICEF’s Yoma and U-Report Platforms, a youth-centred platform, to ensure an extensive reach of young people in universities and other institutions of higher learning across Nigeria.

Tim Kleinebenne, managing director of Unilever Nigeria, at a news conference in Lagos, the weekend, said, “FUCAP is targeted at students in universities and polytechnics across Nigeria. This is part of our commitment to helping young people in Nigeria reach their full potential and contribute to the development of Nigeria.”

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Also speaking, Ola Ehinmoro, human resources director, Unilever West Africa, said, “Our target for FUCAP which is a three-year programme is to equip 700,000 young people with skills to become entrepreneurial-minded and prepared to keep re-inventing themselves for the future of work annually in the first year of kick-off.”

“We will also engage 100,000 students through hybrid campus seminars that will provide students with information about the skills they need to succeed in the workplace and opportunities to network with employers and other young people. Unilever Nigeria will provide 15 Graduate Internship placements through the FUCAP initiative to immerse these talents into its workforce,” he added.

“UNICEF is happy to partner with Unilever Nigeria on this important initiative that focuses on developing critical 21st-century skills for young people,” said Ceiline Lafoucriere, UNICEF Nigeria representative. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact this program will have on the lives of youths across Nigeria in helping them succeed in the workplace and contribute to the economic growth of their communities,” she added.