Nigerian graduates will now have the opportunity to gain market-ready skills and participate in a 12-month job placement.
This initiative, called the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP), was recently inaugurated by Vice President Kashim Shettima. It is supported by the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union and aims to equip fresh graduates with market-ready skills through a 12-month job placement.
The goal of the scheme is to tackle youth unemployment by addressing the urgency of the unemployment crisis and equipping young Nigerians with the necessary skills.
Speaking on this, Shettima said, “I want to congratulate and thank the steering committee members for taking on this crucial role. Your insights, leadership, and dedication will shape the success of the NJFP programme and, by extension, the future of Nigeria’s workforce.”
“I have confidence that together we will ensure that the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme becomes a beacon of hope, innovation, and opportunity for our nation’s youth.”
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Bosun Tijani, minister for communications and digital economy, remarked on the relevance of the initiative, stating, “We understand that 60 percent of our population is under the age of 25, and for these people to find gainful and meaningful employment, we must provide the right skill set. This programme is specifically designed to help young Nigerians not only secure jobs but also acquire skills that can lead to more meaningful employment.”
Jamila Bio-Ibrahim, minister of youth development, added: “With our ambitious target to create 10 million jobs—both direct and indirect—over the next three years, this provides an ideal platform to help us realise our mandate and vision.”
Elsie Attafuah, UNDP resident representative in Nigeria, reiterated that the initiative supports youth empowerment through upskilling, and contributes to Nigeria’s development agenda by placing young people in both public and private institutions.
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