The Federal Government has announced plans to invest $220 million to create employment opportunities for young Nigerians through the second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0.
The initiative, launched in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aims to connect high-potential graduates with work experience, mentorship, and training opportunities across key economic sectors.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Thursday at the flag-off ceremony of NJFP 2.0 held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, stating that the programme seeks to bridge the “transition gap between learning and earning” for thousands of Nigerian graduates.
According to him, the project will help convert Nigeria’s youthful population into a productive economic force, adding that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to embedding the programme into the country’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,” the Vice President said. “Our immediate goal is to raise $220 million — not as charity, but as an investment in our most valuable asset: our young people.”
Shettima called on the private sector, development partners, and donor organisations to support the creation of a NJFP Basket Fund, which will serve as a sustainable financing mechanism for the programme’s continuity.
He also emphasised that inclusivity will remain central to NJFP 2.0, ensuring that opportunities reach Nigerians across regions, genders, and social backgrounds.
“This next phase will intentionally reach every corner of the country, aligning placements with sectors that will define our economic future — agriculture, renewable energy, digital technology, manufacturing, and the creative industries,” he said.
Shettima further noted that the programme would help Nigeria transform its demographic advantage into a generation of productive citizens, adding that “young Nigerians are not asking for handouts, only a fair system that recognises effort, rewards merit, and provides opportunity.”
The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, described the initiative as a continuation of the government’s success in youth empowerment. He revealed that since its inception in 2021, the NJFP has benefited over 13,000 Nigerian youths, with plans to place 100,000 youths in jobs within five years.
In her remarks, the UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, said the generous funding from the EU and support from the UNDP have helped connect “potential to opportunity,” noting that more than 40,000 Nigerians have been placed in various economic sectors through the programme.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gauthier Mignot, expressed optimism that the NJFP 2.0 would be integrated into Nigeria’s governance agenda to ensure its sustainability.
Delivering a keynote address, the CEO of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, said millions of Nigerians possess the capacity to perform jobs currently outsourced abroad if given the right opportunities through programmes like NJFP.
The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme, launched in 2021, is a youth empowerment initiative designed to equip young graduates with practical experience, mentorship, and skills to enhance employability and entrepreneurship.
