The United Nations Children’s Fund and the Federal Government of Nigeria have taken a major step to expand opportunities for the Nigeria youth with the inauguration of the Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU9ja) National Secretariat in Abuja.
Housed in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima, the secretariat is set to serve as a central hub for coordinating efforts to connect young Nigerians to education, skills training, and employment opportunities.
According to a statement by UNICEF Communication Officer Blessing Ejiofor described the inauguration on March 31 as a significant milestone in the partnership aimed at reaching 20 million youths by 2030.
Generation Unlimited Nigeria, a UNICEF-led public-private-youth partnership, aims to connect 20 million young people to learning and earning opportunities by 2030. Since its launch in 2021, the programme has reached more than 11 million youths nationwide.
UNICEF highlighted that the new secretariat will function as a high-level platform to align government policies, private sector investments, and development programmes toward a unified youth development agenda.
The agency stressed that the initiative is particularly focused on bridging the gap between education and employment by promoting digital skills, entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness.
It further noted that young women and vulnerable groups remain at the centre of the programme’s interventions, ensuring inclusive access to opportunities.
With the Federal Government taking a leading role through the Vice President’s office, UNICEF expressed optimism that the strengthened partnership would drive more impactful, scalable solutions to Nigeria’s youth employment challenges.
