The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, alongside the United Nations Development Programme, the European Union and key private sector stakeholders, has renewed calls for stronger collaboration to tackle the growing challenge of unemployment and underemployment among Nigerian youths.
The stakeholders made the call during the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0 Employers’ Forum held in Lagos, where government officials, development partners and leading employers explored strategies aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s workforce pipeline and expanding employment opportunities for young graduates.
The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme is an initiative of the Federal Government funded by the European Union and implemented by the UNDP to bridge the gap between tertiary education and the labour market through workplace experience and mentorship opportunities for young Nigerians.
Speaking at the forum, Governor Sanwo-Olu, represented by Chairman of the Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Boladele Dapo-Thomas, reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to youth empowerment and partnerships with the private sector to boost employment generation.
He praised the European Union for its continued support towards Nigeria’s socio-economic development and described the initiative as a strategic investment in the country’s human capital development.
“I commend the European Union for its sustained funding and commitment to Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation. I equally commend UNDP Nigeria for the excellence of its implementation and applaud every employer present here today.
“By hosting fellows, offering mentorship and opening your organisations to Nigerian graduates, you are making a direct investment in the human capital that will power the nation’s next phase of growth,” he said.
Also speaking, Inga Stefanowicz reaffirmed the European Union’s support for programmes focused on workforce development and youth employability.
She noted that initiatives such as the NJFP were delivering measurable impact by equipping graduates with practical skills while connecting them to meaningful workplace opportunities.
“The European Union is proud to support initiatives like NJFP that deliver tangible results for young people and businesses. By equipping graduates with relevant skills and connecting them to real workplace opportunities, we are not only addressing unemployment but also strengthening the foundations for sustainable economic growth,” she said.
In her remarks, Elsie Attafuah stressed the importance of sustained collaboration among public institutions, development partners and the organised private sector in driving inclusive economic growth.
According to her, the participation of employers, financial institutions, technology companies, manufacturers, agribusinesses and innovation-driven enterprises at the forum reflected a growing recognition that workforce transformation must be treated as a collective national responsibility.
“This Employers’ Forum is important not only because of the commitments it seeks to mobilise for NJFP placements, but because it represents a broader platform for strengthening long-term partnerships between talent development, enterprise growth and economic transformation in Nigeria,” she said.
Attafuah added that the active involvement of major employers and business ecosystem actors demonstrated increasing confidence in collaborative solutions aimed at preparing Nigerian youths for the evolving demands of the labour market.
The forum also served as an avenue for stakeholders to deepen engagement on sustainable pathways for reducing youth unemployment while promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and skills acquisition across critical sectors of the economy.
