The Federal Government has set an ambitious target of creating at least 20,000 jobs annually through the launch of the second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP), a flagship youth employment and empowerment scheme designed to connect high-potential graduates with real-world work experience, training and mentorship opportunities.
To drive this initiative in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Vice President Kashim Shettima will on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, in Abuja, officially flag off the NJFP 2.0 and declare open a High-Level Policy Dialogue on Job Creation with the theme: “From Skills to Jobs and Enterprises: Driving Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship in Key Economic Sectors.”
Ahead of the flag-off, the Vice President on Monday inaugurated the Project Steering Committee of NJFP 2.0 at the Presidential Villa, charging its members to ensure the programme is inclusive and delivers measurable results nationwide.
The NJFP, coordinated by the Office of the Vice President, is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the European Union (EU).
Since its launch in 2022, the initiative has already empowered over 14,000 young Nigerians through 12-month paid fellowships, bridging the gap between skills and job opportunities.
Shettima described the programme as a “deliberate attempt to translate the nation’s demographic strength into productive economic power,” noting that NJFP 2.0 seeks to deepen the transition from learning to earning for thousands of qualified but unemployed graduates.
“The NJFP represents a deliberate attempt to translate the nation’s demographic strength into productive economic power, demonstrating that when government provides structure, partnership, and purpose, young Nigerians rise to the occasion,” Shettima said.
He underscored that the NJFP is a Nigerian programme, shaped by national priorities and guided by a shared vision of opportunity, urging committee members to strengthen inter-agency coordination and uphold accountability.
“As we deliberate today, I encourage us to think not in terms of targets or figures alone, but in terms of outcomes that matter, young people whose lives change because this system works as intended,” the Vice President stated.
“In scaling NJFP 2.0, inclusivity must remain at the heart of our design. Our young people are not a homogeneous group; they live in different realities across regions, genders, and social backgrounds. We must ensure that this opportunity reaches every corner of the country, and that placements are tied to the sectors that will shape Nigeria’s future: agriculture, digital technology, renewable energy, manufacturing, and the creative industries.”
On his part, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, expressed confidence that NJFP 2.0 would transform the lives of young Nigerians, saying the Nigerian government’s leadership will help optimise the programme’s impact.
Similarly, the UNDP Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, described NJFP 2.0 as part of a broader national and continental vision, commending the Tinubu administration for championing youth employment.
She emphasised that young Nigerians require enabling environments and opportunities to develop their skills and creativity.
Speaking at a press briefing ahead of Wednesday’s event, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, said NJFP 2.0 has been redesigned to respond to current economic realities and lessons learned from the first phase.
He explained that the new phase will place a minimum of 24,000 fellows over the next 10 months, with EU funding support, in line with the administration’s job creation priorities.
“The target is to put structures in place to sustain the deployment of at least 20,000 fellows annually,” Hadejia said.
“This administration is not only focused on policy, it is focused on impact. Through NJFP 2.0, we are demonstrating how government programmes can translate into real opportunities for decent work and enterprise creation for young Nigerians.”
He added that NJFP 2.0 offers two clear pathways for every fellow: A pathway to employment, through extended professional placements; and a pathway to entrepreneurship, through business mentorship and enterprise support.
“The idea is to ensure that every fellow is empowered to either secure meaningful employment or launch a viable business in strategic sectors of the economy at the end of the fellowship,” Hadejia said.
He described the NJFP 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.”
“The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme is one of several opportunities created by the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to turn skills into jobs, ideas into enterprises, and hope into results,” he added.
