FG Unveils Skills Programme Targeting 20m Youths By 2030

Muhammadu Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment

ABUJA – A new national skills pro­gramme with a mission to connect at least 20 million young Nigerians to jobs, training, and entrepreneurship oppor­tunities by 2030, has been unveiled by the Federal Government.

It is intended to attract at least 60% female participation, the proponents have revealed.

The initiative was announced during the inaugural board meeting of Gener­ation Unlimited (GenU) Nigeria, which coincided with International Youth Day 2025.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who now chairs the reactivated GenU Nigeria Board, emphasised the urgen­cy of addressing youth unemployment through inclusive and demand-driven strategies.

He described Nigeria’s youthful pop­ulation, over 60% of whom are under 25, as the country’s greatest asset in a rapidly ageing global landscape.

“Our national skills ecosystem faces a trilemma: exclusion from the start, training disconnected from live­lihoods, and inadequate infrastructure for hands-on learning,” Shettima said. “We need systemic change, a new archi­tecture built to last.”

At the heart of the new approach is the Digital Access and Livelihoods Ini­tiative (DALI), a national talent pipeline that links foundational and work-readi­ness training directly to guaranteed jobs or enterprise pathways. All training un­der DALI will align with the National Skills Qualification Framework to en­sure global competitiveness.

The Vice President charged the GenU Board, in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, to fully develop and implement DALI. “Let this be the turning point,” he said. “We owe young Nigerians jobs, hope, and proof that their country believes in them enough to invest in their success.”

Youth Development Minister Ayo­dele Olawande echoed the administra­tion’s commitment to bridging the skills gap through meaningful human capital development. “Nigerian youths are not limited. We must create an enabling environment and deliver real impact,” he said.

Special Assistant to the President on Strategy and Policy (Workforce Devel­opment), Rimamskeb Nuhu, outlined three key challenges facing youth: foundational skills gaps, livelihood dis­connect, and infrastructure deficits. He said DALI was designed to address these through digital skills training and the establishment of Renewed Hope digital hubs.

Stakeholders at the meeting high­lighted progress across GenU 9JA’s three pillars: Digital Learning and Connec­tivity, Workplace Readiness, and Youth Engagement and Empowerment. Over 10 million youth have already benefit­ed from initiatives such as the FUCAP Campus Ambassadors Programme (Unilever), Passport to Earning (Micro­soft), Green Rising, and the Girls’ Edu­cation and Skills Partnership (FCDO).

UN Resident Coordinator in Nige­ria, Mohamed Fall, described Nigerian youth as “the most critical assets of the country and the continent,” urging con­tinued support for GenU 9JA, which he called “the biggest partnership platform for young people.”

UNICEF Nigeria Country Represen­tative and GenU 9JA co-chair, Wafaa Saeed, announced the formal recog­nition of Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA) as Nigeria’s national youth opportunities aggregator—a digital platform connecting youth to skilling, innovation, volunteering, and economic pathways.

Global CEO of UNICEF Generation Unlimited, Kevin Frey, praised Nigeria’s leadership in youth-focused innovation. “Nigeria is one of the most dynamic countries globally. The vision and com­mitment of its young people are reshap­ing youth ecosystems at scale,” he said.