By Our Correspondents
President Muhammadu Buhari in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday launched the Nigeria Jubilee Fellow Programme (NJFP), a fully paid post- National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) work placement programme for Nigerian youths.This is expected to address the 33.3 per cent unemployment rate recorded by the National Bureau of Statistics as at December 2020.
The NJFP is a youth empowerment partnership initiative between the Federal Government and the UNDP.
The programme seeks to connect talented graduates with local job opportunities that apply their expertise while equipping them with world-class practical knowledge and relevant skills.
According to him, the programme is expected to create new opportunities for 20,000 graduates annually while the beneficiaries will maximise the opportunities presented to them.
He assured participants that the programme, being a fully paid post-NYSC work placement programme, would provide an opportunity for mentors who are already engaged in various industries to gain relevant experience and build capacity over the years to provide mentorship and support for the young Nigerians.
He said, “The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme is a fully paid post-NYSC work placement programme for Nigerians, that will provide an opportunity for mentors who are already engaged in various industries and have gained relevant experience and built capacity over the years to provide mentorship and support for the young Nigerians that will be on the programme.
“Beyond the skills and work experience, we will be building a new culture of mentorship and guidance that can chart a new course for skills development and work experience in our country.
“As this programme creates new opportunities for 20,000 recent graduates annually, we expect that the beneficiaries will maximise the opportunities presented to them and maximise their 12 months of engagement on the programme,” he explained.
He encouraged all eligible Nigerians to apply for the programme while urging the private sector organisations to join by providing work placement opportunities, mentors and funding to support the programme.
According to him, “I will encourage all eligible Nigerians to apply for this programme, I also urge private sector organisations in Nigeria to join us on this programme to provide work placement opportunities, mentors, and funding to support the programme.
“I would like to say thank you to the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union for their support on this vital initiative.
“The Programme is hereby formally launched.”
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo last month said, “As we prepare for the formal launch of the programme by Mr President, I urge private sector leaders and captains of industry, development partners and the diplomatic community, to support this programme aimed at equipping young Nigerians with skills and experience required for the work place.”
Under the initiative, internship opportunities will be created for young Nigerians who have recently concluded the NYSC programme. The fully-paid internships will last for 12 months and will be in reputable private and public sector organizations across the country.
Osinbajo said the NJFP “is in very good company, a new and bold addition to an existing suite of large-scale, big-impact programmes that will rewrite the narrative as it relates to jobs, skills and employment in Nigeria.”
According to the VP, “We are resolute in our determination to make the needed difference, and rebuild the confidence of our young people in the ability of their government to rise to the occasion and guarantee a future that is better and more prosperous than the past.”
The Vice President noted that “our ongoing efforts include the N-Power Scheme, which recruits young graduates and places them in agricultural, health and education intervention schemes in local communities around the country. N-Power also has a non-graduate scheme focused on technical skills and IT education. The President has approved the expansion of the N-Power programme from 500,000 beneficiaries to one million.
“We have also established a N75 billion Youth Fund in the Ministry of Youth and Sports to provide credit and support for young entrepreneurs and professionals.”
Osinbajo added that there is also the $500 million African Development Bank Technology and Innovation Fund which the AFDB’s Ag. Senior Director, Lamin Barrow, also mentioned at the event.
“Also under our Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), designed to protect existing jobs, create new ones, and promote local production, our agricultural, housing and solar power programmes already employ and will employ tens of thousands of people to ensure food security, and deliver affordable homes and new power connections.”