THE MacArthur Foundation has unveiled a new grantmaking initiative, Nigeria Next, aimed at expanding digital inclusion, innovation, and civic participation among young people in Nigeria.
The initiative, announced as part of the foundation’s broader programmes in the country, will fund projects that promote access to technology, strengthen media and civic spaces, and support policies designed to empower youth and improve economic opportunities.
The foundation noted that while Nigeria’s large youth population presents both an opportunity and a challenge, only a small proportion possess the digital skills required to participate fully in the modern economy.
It added that young Nigerians remained underrepresented in global conversations around emerging technologies such as AI, highlighting the need for targeted investment in skills, access, and policy engagement.
According to the foundation, the initiative will provide support for research, advocacy, training, convenings, and pilot projects focused on equipping young Nigerians with digital tools and skills while fostering creativity and innovation.
“Nigeria Next aims to foster digital inclusion, creativity and innovation, civic participation, and evidence-backed policies to empower Nigeria’s young people and expand their economic opportunity. By empowering the nation’s young people, we can drive social and economic change in Nigeria while helping build a free and prosperous future,” the foundation stated.
Four priority areas
The Nigeria Next initiative will focus on four key areas bordering on digital inclusion, creativity and innovation, civic participation, and research and policy analysis.
Under digital inclusion, the grants is expected to target efforts that address barriers to technology access, including affordability, safety, and gaps in artificial intelligence (AI) knowledge.
In the area of creativity and innovation, the foundation said it would support hubs, incubators, and collaborative workspaces aimed at driving economic transformation and workforce development.
The civic participation component will prioritise strengthening journalism and media ecosystems, amplifying youth voices, and promoting digital citizenship to counter authoritarian tendencies online.
Additionally, the programme will fund research and policy analysis to support evidence-based government policies that prioritise youth empowerment, particularly in the technology sector.
Shettima highlights vision for youth empowerment
Speaking on the initiative in a separate statement, director of the foundation in Nigeria, Kole Shettima, said the programme was designed to invest in young Nigerians as drivers of social and economic change.
He noted that many young people, despite limited resources, were already using digital tools to amplify their voices and participate in civic life, citing examples of youth engagement during recent social movements.
“I met Balkisu, a TikToker from the quiet town of Bauchi in Northeast Nigeria, during the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria movement in 2024. After high school, Balkisu could not attend college due to financial constraints.
“Coming from a large family with competing priorities, her parents could not afford the expense of higher education. Still, Balkisu considered herself fortunate: she had access to a smartphone and one meal a day—luxuries that many of her peers lacked. Balkisu’s story embodies the hopes and aspirations of our new grantmaking initiative: Nigeria Next,” Shettima said.
He explained that the initiative was shaped through consultations across multiple Nigerian cities, including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Bauchi, Maiduguri, and Kafanchan, where the foundation engaged young people, civil society actors, and experts to better understand their needs.
He emphasised that Nigeria Next would focus on removing barriers to digital access, supporting creative ecosystems, and strengthening civic spaces where young people can actively contribute to governance and national development.
He added that the programme reflected a deliberate shift from viewing young people as challenges to recognising them as assets capable of reimagining Nigeria’s future.
“As Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria is a dynamic centre for innovation in finance, technology, agriculture, civic tech, and creative industries. The so-called ‘youthquake’—a term used by scholars and commentators—captures the profound impact of young Nigerians. From breakthroughs in Lagos’ tech scene to the global reach of Nollywood and Afrobeats, their ingenuity is unquestionable.
“Young people are also reimagining civic engagement, pioneering new forms of organisations and activism on issues such as clean energy, climate change, democracy, transparency, accountability, and sexual and gender-based violence,” he explained further.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M