The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with the Beeta Arts Festival (BAF) to boost youth employment by connecting young Nigerians to job opportunities in the creative industry.

Head of Inclusive Growth at the UNDP Nigeria office, Clare Henshaw, revealed this during a session at the 2025 edition of the Beeta Arts Festival in Abuja.

Henshaw noted that the organisation is drawn to the festival’s strong focus on developing creative talent and creating jobs.

“One of the key things that attracted us to the festival was its strong affiliation with the creative sector and the opportunities it creates, particularly for jobs for young people,” she said.

She explained that the UNDP, in partnership with the European Union and the Nigerian government, is implementing the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP)—a $47 million initiative that provides fresh graduates with work-ready skills and connects them to employers.

According to Henshaw, more than 14,000 young Nigerians have been placed in organisations across the country in the past three years, with 10 per cent retained in employment and 20 per cent becoming entrepreneurs.

Henshaw said the collaboration with Beeta Arts Festival would enable the programme to link trained fellows to organisations in film, theatre, fashion, production, and other creative fields represented at the festival.

She added, “Our goal is to introduce fellows to creative organisations present here today, connect them to opportunities where they can interact and find meaningful jobs. The creative sector has enormous potential, but sometimes accessing it can be difficult. This platform makes that possible,”.

She added that the UNDP hopes to develop a database of creative industry employers willing to absorb fellows upon completion of the programme cycle.

Also speaking, founder of Beeta Arts Festival, Bikiya Graham-Douglas, said she established BAF to provide the support she lacked as a young creative navigating Nigeria’s arts industry.

“When I started, there were no platforms like this to help me navigate and direct me,” she said.

She added that “I’ve seen the importance of creating platforms for young people, for emerging voices. They are the future, and the creative sector has the capacity to absorb many of them.”

She commended the UNDP for supporting the festival and emphasised the role of collective action in building the sector.

“We don’t have to wait for the government to do everything. We all have a responsibility to make our society better. Our message is simple: where you can, do something to make the lives of people around you better,” she said.