The UNICEF Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA), a Public-Private-Youth-Partnership (PPYP) platform, has disclosed that about nine million young Nigerians have been empowered surpassing the three-year target of 7.5 million.

This was disclosed during the platform’s yearly steering committee at the Airtel Headquarters in Lagos to celebrate three years of groundbreaking achievements, setting ambitious targets for the future.

The meeting reaffirmed GenU 9JA’s commitment to transforming the lives of millions of Nigerian youths by connecting them to opportunities for skills development, digital learning, and livelihood pathways.

The meeting was attended by GenU 9JA partners from the government, private sector, civil society, United Nations (UN) organisations, and young people from across Nigeria.

It was stated that the milestone positions the initiative well on its journey to achieving its 2030 goal of connecting 20 million young people with opportunities for growth and impact.

The committee reviewed progress across its three core pillars: connectivity and digital learning, workplace readiness, and youth engagement. Key partners presented updates on their respective contributions, underscoring how collaboration has driven success.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz, emphasised the transformative potential of digital access, citing the ongoing UNICEF-Airtel Reimagine Education Programme, a part of the GenU 9JA initiative.

“Airtel is proud to play a role in ensuring no young Nigerian is left behind in this digital age. We are encouraged by the success recorded so far among the 1,260 schools connected through our partnership.”