The Federal Government is investing $220 million to create job opportunities for young people in the country in partnership with the European Union (EU) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The investment is the Second Phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0, designed to connect “high-potential graduates with real-world work experience, training, and mentorship.”

Vice-President Kashim Shettima made the disclosure on Wednesday during the formal take-off of the NJFP at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the VP, the aim is “to bridge the transition gap between learning and earning for thousands of young Nigerians; graduates who have the education, but not always the opportunity.”

Shettima explained that this would translate the nation’s demographic strength “into productive economic power, proving that when government provides structure, partnership, and purpose, young Nigerians rise to the occasion.”

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He added that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was prepared to deepen the ownership of the programme by embedding it into government’s national planning and budgeting frameworks.

“This government will do its part — by ensuring that our financial commitment to the programme reflects our belief in its transformative potential. But national ownership must also mean national participation.

“As we launch NJFP 2.0 today, I call on our partners — from the private sector, the development community, and the donor ecosystem — to join us in building the NJFP Basket Fund, a sustainable financing mechanism to secure the programme’s future.

“Our immediate goal is to raise $220 million, not as charity, but as an investment in the nation’s most valuable asset: our young people”, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), Mr Stanley Nkwocha, quoted Shettima as saying.

He called on the EU, the UNDP and other partners to see the flag-off of the programme as an opportunity to prove that “youth employment is not just a policy priority but a shared responsibility.”

Shettima noted that when resources were pooled and intentions were aligned in the course of building together, a multiplier effect would be created to benefit Nigeria’s economy.

He acknowledged the contributions of the EU and the UNDP, noting that their belief in Nigeria’s youth had demonstrated what could be achieved through collaboration.

The VP further stated that it was now time for Nigeria, through its public institutions, private sector operators, and philanthropic community to lead from the front, adding that inclusivity remained the key to driving the process.

Shettima spoke more, “As we scale NJFP 2.0, inclusivity remains at the heart of our design. We recognise that our young people are not a single story. They live in different realities, across regions, genders, and social backgrounds.

“Therefore, this next phase will intentionally reach every corner of the country, aligning placements with the sectors that will define our economic future: agriculture, renewable energy, digital technology, manufacturing, and the creative industries.”

Also speaking, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, described the NJFP 2.0 as a continuation of the federal government’s success in youth empowerment.

Ayodele noted that since the programme began in 2021, it has helped over 13,000 youths to gain skills, assuring that the initiative will build on its progress and achieve its long-term goal of placing 100,000 youths in jobs within five years.

On her part, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, said the generous funding from the European Union and implementation support from the UNDP, over the years, were aimed at connecting potential to opportunity.

Attafuah noted that the vision behind the NJFP had come to light, resulting in over 40,000 Nigerians being placed in various economic sectors.

She added that millions of Nigerians need the NJFP platform to thrive in today’s economy.

The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gauthier Mignot, said the EU was looking forward to seeing the NJFP 2.0 programme integrated into Nigeria’s governance agenda to ensure its sustainability.

Delivering the keynote address titled, “Building a National Workforce for the Future,” the CEO of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, emphasised that millions of Nigerians can perform the jobs currently being outsourced to foreign companies if they are given the right opportunities, such as those provided under the NJFP programme.

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