The Federal Government has inaugurated a nationwide skills and employment programme targeting 20 million young Nigerians by 2030, with a special focus on women and underserved communities.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who announced the initiative at the inaugural board meeting of Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA) in Abuja, said the programme was designed to unify government, private sector, and development partners under a single platform to tackle youth unemployment.
At least 60% of the beneficiaries will be women, he disclosed.
Shettima, who chairs the reactivated GenU Board, described Nigeria’s youth as the nation’s “superpower,” but warned of a “trilemma” where too many young people remain excluded, training schemes lack real-world impact, and infrastructure for hands-on learning is inadequate.
“At the heart of this programme is the Digital Access and Livelihoods Initiative (DALI), a demand-driven national talent pipeline linking training directly to guaranteed jobs or enterprise opportunities,” he said.
The Vice-President pledged that all training would align with the National Skills Qualification Framework, giving Nigerian youth not only employable skills but also globally recognized credentials.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, added that the administration’s vision is to “create jobs, bridge the skills gap, and empower young people through meaningful human capital development.”
Special Assistant to the President on Workforce Development, Rimamskeb Nuhu, explained that DALI would focus on foundational digital skills and establish Renewed Hope Digital Hubs across the country.
The initiative has also gained international backing. UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, described youths as “the most critical assets of the country and the continent,” while UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, announced the recognition of Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA) as Nigeria’s national youth opportunities aggregator.
Private sector partners—including Microsoft, Airtel, MTN, CISCO, Unilever, and Jobberman—are working alongside government and UNICEF to scale up digital education, green jobs, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement.
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Global CEO of UNICEF Generation Unlimited, Kevin Frey, praised Nigeria’s leadership, saying: “The vision, partnerships, and commitment of young people here are charting a new course for youth ecosystems at scale.”
Launched in 2021, GenU 9JA is a public-private-youth partnership platform committed to supporting young Nigerians’ transition from learning to earning, while unlocking their potential for innovation and active citizenship.
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