The federal government has said the second phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) will target 23,724 young graduates nationwide to bridge the gap between academic learning and workplace experience and help employers access skilled manpower.

Akubo Adegbe, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Delivery and Coordination in the Office of the Vice President and focal person for the implementation of the NJFP, said this during an employer and fellow engagement held in Lafia on Tuesday.

He described the programme as a national workforce development initiative created to address the challenge of graduate unemployment arising from a lack of work experience.

Mr Adegbe said the programme provides young Nigerians with 12-month workplace placements in which they gain practical experience, mentorship, and opportunities to demonstrate their abilities.

According to him, the federal government believes that Nigeria does not suffer from a talent deficit but rather an opportunity deficit.

“The programme is designed to give young people the opportunity to work for 12 months, earn a monthly stipend of N150,000 and acquire the skills needed to remain employable,” he said.

He said the programme was not merely a federal initiative seeking state participation but a national intervention aimed at helping states build and strengthen their workforce.

He explained that the NJFP was designed to address both employers’ demand for skilled workers and graduates’ need for practical work experience.

According to him, the programme is coordinated by the Office of the Vice President, funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Mr Adegbe said the government intended to sustain the programme and deploy at least 20,000 fellows annually across the country.

He added that efforts were underway to establish a National Basket Fund through contributions from the federal government, development partners and sub-national governments to ensure the programme’s sustainability.

He urged employers to actively participate by mentoring and providing opportunities for fellows to demonstrate their capabilities.

He noted that organisations would benefit from reduced hiring costs and 12 months to assess potential employees before making permanent employment decisions.

Mr Adegbe urged the fellows to maximise the opportunity, describing their selection as a privilege given that only about five per cent of applicants make it into the programme’s talent pool.

Earlier, Yomi Olufiade, project lead, Talent Management Company (TMC), North Central Region for NJFP, said the programme targeted the placement of 23,724 young graduates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Mr Olufiade said fellows receive a monthly stipend of N150,000 paid entirely by the UNDP, with no salary obligations for host organisations.

He explained that eligible applicants must be Nigerian graduates below the age of 30, have graduated in 2022 or later, possess at least a second-class lower degree or upper-credit in Higher National Diploma (HND), and have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme or obtained exemption.

According to him, candidates also undergo a rigorous selection process involving tests, video assessments and psychometric evaluations.

Mr Olufiade said that the programme had so far placed 423 fellows in Nasarawa State, comprising 60.3 per cent males and 39.7 per cent females.

He added that 86 organisations had been engaged in the state, while 64 were actively hosting fellows.

“The programme has invested about N344.66 million in stipend payments in Nasarawa State, although 185 fellows are still awaiting placement,” he said.

He said host organisations were expected to provide meaningful work experience, mentorship, supervision, conducive work environments and monthly attendance certification.

Mr Olufiade noted that the programme also offered digital skills training, entrepreneurship development and talent management support to fellows.

He disclosed that an Alumni Talent Hub had been established to enable employers to recruit former fellows who demonstrated strong performance during their placements.

Also speaking, Haruna Sani, director-general of the Nasarawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency (NASITDEA), described the programme as timely and beneficial to the state’s youth.

He commended the federal government and development partners for creating opportunities for youths and assured that the state would continue to support awareness campaigns to encourage participation.

Similarly, Imam Rabiu-Mabudi, Nasarawa State Focal Person for NJFP, described the initiative as a life-changing opportunity that could reduce graduate unemployment.

Mr Rabiu-Mabudi urged eligible youths and organisations in the state to register and participate in the programme.

Some beneficiaries of the programme, Sonia Adams and Zakari Mohammed, expressed appreciation to the federal government, the European Union and the UNDP for the opportunity.

They said the programme had enabled them to gain valuable work experience, develop professional skills and contribute meaningfully to their organisations.

 (NAN)