Nigeria is making plans to equip over 20 million young people with digital skills and entrepreneurship training by 2030, marking a major push to transition them from learning to earning.
This ambitious drive comes through the Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA) platform, a public-private initiative in partnership with UNICEF, aimed at tackling youth unemployment, closing the digital divide, and positioning Nigeria’s next generation for global competitiveness.
The initiative received a significant boost during a high-level engagement at the Presidential Villa, where Vice President Kashim Shettima officially took the reins as Chairman of the GenU 9JA Board. Describing the initiative as a “national imperative,” Shettima stressed the urgency of empowering young Nigerians to thrive in the digital economy.
He says:
“If we truly wish to survive and thrive, we must empower our youth through digital means,”.
“This is not just policy, it’s a necessity. GenU 9JA aligns perfectly with our Renewed Hope Agenda for inclusive development and digital innovation.” Shettima declared.
The plan is to connect Nigerian youth aged 10 to 24 with the tools, training, and opportunities needed to succeed in a tech-driven global economy. Also, the government’s goal is to leverage the digital space as a gateway for millions of young Nigerians to gain skills, secure jobs, and become innovators in their own right.
“From learning to earning is a beautiful initiative,” the Vice President added. “The digital space offers an effortless window for our youth to engage and trade their skills globally. Many are already working for international companies from their living rooms.”
Since its launch in 2022, GenU 9JA has already made significant strides, impacting over 10 million young people and securing more than 1,500 job linkages, according to UNICEF.
UN officials praised Nigeria’s leadership for placing youth development at the center of national policy. Mohammed Fall, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, highlighted GenU’s vital role in addressing “youth unemployment, educational inequality, and digital exclusion.”
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, youth-focused initiatives like GenU are driving the priorities of digital access and employment,” Fall said.
Echoing the sentiment, Dr. Rownak Khan, UNICEF’s Deputy Representative, said GenU 9JA is one of the most successful youth empowerment programmes in the organisation’s global portfolio.
“Few countries globally have recorded the level of youth impact that GenU 9JA has achieved,” she noted.
For Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of the UNICEF Lagos Field Office, the results speak for themselves. She underscored the platform’s growing reach and success stories, noting that the programme is on track to become a global benchmark.
The GenU 9JA initiative is proving to be one that would transforms today’s learners into tomorrow’s earners, armed with digital skills, confidence, and access to opportunity on a global scale.
