The Federal Government has announced plans to invest $220 million in creating employment opportunities for young Nigerians through the second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Program (NJFP) 2.0.
The initiative, launched in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), aims to equip young graduates with practical work experience, training, and mentorship to enhance their employability.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Wednesday while flagging off the NJFP 2.0 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said the program is designed to close the gap between “learning and earning” by supporting graduates who possess academic qualifications but lack job opportunities.
According to Shettima, the initiative will unlock the potential of Nigeria’s youthful population and convert it into economic value.
“This will 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,” he said.
The Vice President noted that the program, though internationally supported, is fully aligned with Nigeria’s development priorities.
He stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is committed to institutionalizing the program by integrating it into national planning and budgeting systems.
“This government will do its part by ensuring that our financial commitment to the program reflects our belief in its transformative potential. But national ownership must also mean national participation,” he said.
Shettima called on the private sector and development partners to collaborate with the government to address youth unemployment sustainably. He announced plans to create the NJFP Basket Fund, a long-term financing framework for the program, with a target of raising $220 million.
“Our goal is to raise this fund not as charity but as an investment in the nation’s most valuable resource: our young people,” he said.
He urged the EU, the UNDP, and other partners to see the launch as a call to action and proof that youth empowerment must be a shared national responsibility.
Emphasising inclusiveness, he said young Nigerians are not asking for handouts but for fair opportunities.
“The task before us is both serious and inspiring. The young Nigerians we seek to serve are not asking for handouts, only for a fair system that recognizes effort, rewards merit, and provides opportunity. They are ready to build if we are ready to back them,” he added.
(Channels TV)
