European businesses and the European Union Delegation to Nigeria have announced plans to step-up collaborations targeted at Nigerian youths to address the skills gap in employment.

The European Union ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, disclosed this in a report from a stakeholders’ conference hosted by the European Business Chambers in Nigeria (Eurocham).

The ambassador (honorary president of Eurocham Nigeria) described human capital as key to Nigeria’s development and said the EU, its member-states and businesses recognised this in their engagements with Nigeria. She stated that youth, education, employability and skills (YEES) were top priorities for the EU, internally and in its cooperation with partner countries.

“Both the European Union and Eurocham Nigeria are playing leading roles in the Nigeria Jubilee Fellowship Programme, a collaborative initiative between the Nigerian government and key stakeholders,” Ms Isopi. “This is to build a reservoir of innovative and employable skills in the country by placing smart young graduates in paid 1-year internships in companies across the country.”

The EU official added that the programme would target 100,000 youths over five years, noting that demography can help transform Nigeria.

“But it also poses challenges in terms of demand for quality education, skill development and employment. With young people making up 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population, the EU has prioritised the youth across all areas of its cooperation with the country,” Ms Isopi added.

The EU diplomat also mentioned that the EU, recognising that youth empowerment is critical to Nigeria’s general elections, put the youth and their role in democratic governance first through programmes that mobilise youths to register and vote in the elections.

(NAN)