The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a national skills programme aimed at connecting 20 million young Nigerians to jobs, training, and entrepreneurship opportunities by 2030.

The announcement was made in Abuja during the inaugural board meeting of GenU Nigeria, coinciding with International Youth Day 2025.

The initiative was unveiled by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who now chairs the reactivated Generation Unlimited (GenU) Nigeria Board, in collaboration with UNICEF, UN agencies, and other partners. Key contributions also came from the Ministry of Youth Development, the Presidency’s Workforce Strategy Office, and global private sector players like Microsoft, Unilever, and FCDO.

With over 60% of Nigeria’s population under 25, Vice President Shettima described the country’s youth as its “greatest asset in a rapidly ageing global landscape.” The programme seeks to address what he called a “trilemma” in Nigeria’s skills ecosystem: early exclusion, training not linked to livelihoods, and weak infrastructure for practical learning.

At the heart of the new approach is the Digital Access and Livelihoods Initiative (DALI)— a national talent pipeline linking training directly to employment or entrepreneurship. All training will align with the National Skills Qualification Framework to ensure global competitiveness. A minimum of 60% female participation is targeted.

The plan also includes the rollout of Renewed Hope digital hubs, a focus on digital skills, and support through platforms like Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), now recognised as Nigeria’s national youth aggregator for skilling, volunteering, and innovation.

Over 10 million Nigerian youth have already benefited from GenU-backed programmes like Passport to Earning, Green Rising, FUCAP Campus Ambassadors, and Girls’ Education and Skills Partnership.

UN Resident Coordinator Mohamed Fall called youth “the most critical assets of the country and the continent,” while UNICEF GenU Global CEO Kevin Frey praised Nigeria as a global leader in youth-focused innovation. Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande said the government is committed to building an enabling environment to unlock young Nigerians’ full potential.

“Let this be the turning point,” said Shettima. “We owe young Nigerians jobs, hope, and proof that their country believes in them.”