THE Federal Government has announced the creation of 20,000 jobs through the one-year Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme, designed to employ graduates who have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The programme, created in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was launched at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday.
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Speaking at the event, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari noted that the programme would be an avenue to build the culture of mentorship and guidance in the country.
“We believe that as this programme creates new opportunities for 20,000 recent graduates annually, the beneficiaries will use the opportunities presented to them and maximize their 12 months of engagement,” he said.
He also noted that the programme would allow young graduates to acquire work experience and gain skills required for jobs in various sectors, including information and communications technology (ICT), telecommunications, education, among others.
The president stated that the programme would build on the efforts of the government to support the Nigerian youths, and encouraged eligible Nigerians to apply.
He urged private organisations to take part in providing job opportunities and mentorship for the youth and expressed gratitude to the UNDP for the initiation of the programme.
“I would like to say thank you to the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union for their support on this vital initiative. And I hereby declare the programme open,’’ he said.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.