The Federal Government says it is targeting the creation of at least 20,000 jobs annually through the second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme.
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, stated this on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while inaugurating the Project Steering Committee for the NJFP 2.0 ahead of its formal launch and the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Job Creation scheduled for Wednesday.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha.
PUNCH Online reports that NJFP was unveiled in 2022 with the aim of equipping young graduates with practical work experience, mentorship, and entrepreneurial skills.
Shettima said the programme, which is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme with funding from the European Union, aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that prioritises youth empowerment and job creation.
He noted that the new phase builds on the success of the first edition launched in 2022, which empowered over 14,000 young Nigerians through paid 12-month fellowships across public and private sectors.
The programme, he said, 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.”
Speaking earlier, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, said the new phase will place at least 24,000 fellows over the next 10 months, offering two career pathways through professional employment or entrepreneurship support.
The target, he said, is to “put structures in place to sustain the deployment of at least 20,000 fellows annually”.
He explained that the new phase of the initiative, NJFP 2.0, which “will place a minimum of 24,000 fellows over the next 10 months, with the funding support of the EU,” directly “supports the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which prioritizes job creation, skills development, and youth empowerment as key pillars of Nigeria’s economic transformation.
“It shows that 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.
Meanwhile, the Vice President tasked members of the steering committee to ensure inclusivity, stressing that the programme must reach every part of the country and reflect Nigeria’s diversity.
He urged them “to deepen that ownership, strengthen coordination across our institutions, and ensure that NJFP remains accountable to the ambitions of this administration.”
Shettima said, “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.
“We have an opportunity here to demonstrate what partnership done right can achieve: where government leads with clarity, partners contribute with confidence, and results speak for themselves. Therefore, let us approach our work with that understanding.
“In scaling NJFP 2.0, inclusivity must remain at the heart of our design. Our young people are not a homogenous 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.”
