The Federal Government has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to train 20 million young Nigerians on digital skills by 2030.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima disclosed this at a meeting with the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The meeting was also attended by the UNICEF Deputy Representative, Dr Rownak Khan and the Chief of the UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere.
Shettima said that Nigeria presents both a challenge and an opportunity with its rapidly growing population, currently estimated at over 230 million and an average age of 17.
“This platform provides a vista of opportunities for our young people. Beyond rhetorics, if we want to survive and thrive, we must empower our youth through digital means.
“We are not looking for charity. We want a mutually beneficial relationship; one based on respect and shared interests.
“The digital space gives us the easiest window to get the youth engaged effortlessly. They can trade their skills in the global market, ” he said.
Shettina accepted to chair the board of Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA), a public-private-youth partnership platform.
Shettima described the initiative as a beautiful programme that would enable Nigerian youths trade their skills in the global market.
” The digital space gives us the easiest window to get the youth engaged effortlessly.
“They can trade their skills in the global market. I know of a lot of young Nigerians who are working for global firms from the comfort of their homes,” he added.
The GenU 9JA initiative aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda of inclusive development, digital innovation, and youth empowerment.
The platform aimed to help young Nigerians between the ages of 10 and 24 transition from learning to earning through digital connectivity
Since its launch in 2022, GenU 9JA has impacted more than 10 million young people, with 1,500 job linkages already secured.
The programme is built on three pillars: digital connectivity, pathways from learning to earning, and youth engagement and empowerment.
Earlier, Mohammed Fall, the UN Representative, said ”Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, youth-focused initiatives, skills, digital access, and employment, are critical.
”And GenU is helping to drive those priorities.”
Also, Dr. Rownak Khan said, “We’ve seen incredible results from Nigeria. Few countries globally have recorded the level of youth impact that GenU 9JA has achieved.”
On her part, Celine Lafoucriere noted that since the launch of the programme in 2022, 9JA had impacted more than 10 million young people with 1500 job linkages already secured.
“To reach our target of 20 million youths by 2030, we must now strengthen coordination among partners and align even more closely with national policy, ” she said.
