The federal government is partnering with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to train 20 million young Nigerians on digital skills by 2030.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima disclosed this at a meeting with the United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The meeting was also attended by the UNICEF deputy representative, Rownak Khan and the chief of the UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere.

Mr Shettima said that Nigeria presents both a challenge and an opportunity with its rapidly growing population, currently estimated at over 230 million and an average age of 17.

He accepted to chair the board of Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA), a public-private-youth partnership platform.

GenU 9JA is constituted to help young Nigerians between the ages of 10 and 24 transition from learning to earning through digital connectivity. 

Mr Shettima said: ” it is an honour for me to serve as the chairman of Generation Unlimited, GenU 9JA.

“This platform provides a vista of opportunities for our young people. Beyond rhetorics, if we want to survive and thrive, we must empower our youth through digital means.”

He said that GenU 9JA initiative aligns with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda of inclusive development, digital innovation, and youth empowerment.

Mr Shettima pointed out that Nigeria is not seeking handouts but sustainable, equitable partnerships. 

“We are not looking for charity. We want a mutually beneficial relationship; one based on respect and shared interests.

” This is why I’m very passionate about the digital initiative. 

”Beyond leadership in our enlightened self-interest, if we want to live in this part of the world, we have to involve them, we have to empower them,” he said. 

Mr Shettima described the initiative as a beautiful programme that would enable Nigerian youths trade their skills in the global market.

” The digital space gives us the easiest window to get the youth engaged effortlessly. 

“They can trade their skills in the global market. I know of a lot of young Nigerians who are working for global firms from the comfort of their homes,” he added.

Earlier, Mr Fall noted that the GenU 9JA platform was central to addressing youth unemployment, educational inequality, and digital exclusion.

“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, youth-focused initiatives—skills, digital access, and employment—are critical. And GenU is helping to drive those priorities,” Mr Fall said.

Also, Ms Khan said that GenU 9JA is one of UNICEF’s most successful global youth empowerment programmes, saying Nigeria has been a model in this effort.

“We’ve seen incredible results from Nigeria. Few countries globally have recorded the level of youth impact that GenU 9JA has achieved,” she said. 

Ms Khan explained that the programme was built on three pillars; digital connectivity, pathways from learning to earning, and youth engagement and empowerment.

She said that all the pillars were designed to prepare Nigerian youths for current job markets.

On her part, Ms Lafoucriere noted that since its launch in 2022, GenU 9JA has impacted over 10 million young people, with 1,500 job linkages already secured.

“To reach our target of 20 million youths by 2030, we must now strengthen coordination among partners and align even more closely with national policy,” she said. 

(NAN)