The UNICEF Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA) Public-Private Youth Partnership (PPYP) platform convened its yearly steering committee meeting at the Airtel Headquarters in Lagos, to celebrate three years of ground breaking achievements and set ambitious targets for the future.
The meeting reaffirmed GenU 9JA’s commitment to transforming the lives of millions of Nigerian children and youths by bridging the digital gap, enhancing the quality of learning and skilling to prepare them for the world of work and connect them to livelihood opportunities.
The meeting was attended by GenU 9JA partners from the Federal and State governments, private sector, civil society, development partners, and young people from across Nigeria.
Since its inception in 2021, UNICEF GenU 9JA has empowered nearly nine million young Nigerians, surpassing the three-year target of 7.5 million. This milestone positions the initiative well on its journey to achieving its 2030 goal of supporting 20 million young people transitioning from learning to earning.
The committee reviewed progress across its three core pillars: connectivity and digital learning; workplace readiness, and youth engagement. Key partners presented updates on collective contributions, underlining how collaboration has driven success.
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 central 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,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Somachi Chris-Asoluka, while highlighting the impact of youth entrepreneurship, noted that young people are the engines of Africa’s economic transformation.
“Since 2015, the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme has empowered over 20,000 young entrepreneurs, creating more than 400,000 jobs. Our BeGreen Africa initiative will now support over 400 young entrepreneurs in Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, and South Africa, with green-focused training, mentorship, and seed capital to advance sustainable ventures, Chris-Asoluka stated.
The UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Cristian Munduate, restated the urgent need for continued investment in the youths. Reminding that the future of any nation lies in the hands of its children and youths, the UNICEF chief noted that by providing skills, opportunities, and a platform for engagement, they are not only changing individual lives, but also shaping a brighter future for Nigeria.”
Some of the achievements of the GenU 9JA in three years include digital learning and connectivity, workplace readiness and youth engagement. For instance, over three million young Nigerians now have access to digital learning tools, such as the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) and the Youth Agency Market Place (YOMA) bridging educational gaps in underserved areas.
Besides, over two million youths have gained work-related skills and livelihood opportunities, while nearly three million youths have participated in youth-led programmes, amplifying their voices as change makers in their communities.
The committee concluded with a call for continued investment in Nigeria’s children and youths. In 2018, UNICEF launched the global Generation Unlimited movement to meet the urgent needs of young people between the ages of 10 and 24, expanding learning, skill development, employment, and engagement opportunities.
The Nigeria chapter of GenU 9JA was launched in 2021 to prepare young people to transition from education and learning to productive work and active citizenship.
