The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to create at least 20,000 jobs annually through the launch of the second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP 2.0) a flagship initiative designed to connect young graduates with practical work experience, mentorship, and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima will officially flag off the programme in Abuja, and declare open a High-Level Policy Dialogue on Job Creation themed “From Skills to Jobs and Enterprises: Driving Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship in Key Economic Sectors.”
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The initiative, which aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, seeks to empower high-potential graduates with the skills and experience required to drive economic transformation across strategic sectors including agriculture, digital technology, renewable energy, manufacturing, and the creative industries.
Ahead of the flag-off, the Vice President on Monday inaugurated the NJFP 2.0 Project Steering Committee, charging members to ensure inclusivity and equitable distribution of opportunities nationwide.
“The goal of the NJFP is to bridge the transition gap between learning and earning for thousands of young graduates,” Shettima said. “This is a deliberate attempt to translate Nigeria’s demographic strength into productive economic power.”
He urged the committee to focus on tangible outcomes, stressing that inclusivity must remain central to the programme’s design to ensure that “opportunity reaches every corner of the country.”
Coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with funding from the European Union (EU), the NJFP was first launched in 2022 and has already empowered over 14,000 young Nigerians through 12-month paid fellowships.
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The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, expressed confidence in the programme’s transformative impact, while the UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, commended the Federal Government for prioritizing youth empowerment, describing NJFP 2.0 as part of a “larger national and continental vision” to create a robust job ecosystem.
Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, explained that NJFP 2.0 builds on the success of the first phase and has been redesigned to meet current economic realities.
He said the new phase would deploy a minimum of 24,000 fellows over the next 10 months, with EU support, adding that the target is to sustain at least 20,000 placements annually through a combination of public-private partnerships and enterprise development.
“The NJFP 2.0 establishes two clear pathways — one to employment through professional placements, and another to entrepreneurship through mentorship and enterprise support,” Hadejia said.
“Every fellow will be empowered to either secure meaningful employment or launch a viable business in key economic sectors.”
He described the programme as “a bold and practical response to the aspirations of young Nigerians — a generation of problem-solvers and innovators who only need opportunity to thrive.”
Since inception, the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme has served as a bridge between skills, jobs, and enterprise, creating a generation of work-ready graduates equipped to contribute to national development.