UNICEF Generation Unlimited Nigeria empowers over 9 million youth through innovative partnerships

The UNICEF GenU 9JA has empowered over 9 million young Nigerians, surpassing the three-year target of 7.5 million, positioning the initiative well on its journey to achieving its 2030 goal of connecting 20 million young people with opportunities for growth and impact.

This was disclosed at the annual steering committee meeting of the UNICEF Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA) Public-Private-Youth-Partnership (PPYP) Platform at the Airtel Headquarters in Lagos and to celebrate three years of this groundbreaking achievement and to set ambitious targets for the future.

Speaking at the event, CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz, emphasised the transformative potential of digital access, citing the ongoing UNICEF-Airtel Reimagine Education Programme, which is part of the GenU 9JA initiative.

He said, “Airtel is proud to play a role in ensuring no young Nigerian is left behind in this digital age. We are encouraged by the success recorded so far among the 1,260 schools connected through our partnership.”

CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Somachi Chris-Asoluka, who highlighted the impact of youth entrepreneurship, said that young people are the engines of Africa’s economic transformation.

He added, “Since 2015, the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme has empowered over 20,000 young entrepreneurs, creating more than 400,000 jobs. Our BeGreen Africa initiative will now support over 400 young entrepreneurs in Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, and South Africa with green-focused training, mentorship, and seed capital to advance sustainable ventures.”

In a remark, UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Cristian Munduate, reiterated the urgency for continued investment in youth, saying the future of any nation lies in the hands of its children and youth.

According to her, “By providing skills, opportunities, and a platform for engagement, we are not only changing individual lives but also shaping a brighter future for Nigeria.”

The review by the committee cut across its three core pillars: connectivity and digital learning, workplace readiness, and youth engagement.

It indicated that over 3 million young Nigerians now have access to digital learning tools, such as the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) and the Youth Agency Market Place (YOMA), bridging educational gaps in underserved areas.

In addition, over 2 million youth have gained work-related skills and livelihood opportunities, and nearly 3 million youth have participated in youth-led programmes, amplifying their voices as changemakers in their communities.

This meeting reaffirmed GenU 9JA’s commitment to transforming the lives of millions of Nigerian children and youths by bridging the digital gap, enhancing the quality of learning and skilling to prepare them for the world of work, and connecting them to livelihood opportunities.

The committee concluded with a call for continued investment in Nigeria’s youth. To sustain this momentum, UNICEF GenU 9JA urges the government, private sector, and civil society to further their support for young people, ensuring they are prepared for meaningful contributions to Nigeria’s development.

In 2018, UNICEF launched the global Generation Unlimited movement to meet the urgent needs of young people between the ages of 10 and 24, expanding learning, skill development, employment, and engagement opportunities. The Nigeria chapter of Generation Unlimited—GenU 9JA—was launched in 2021.

Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA) at UNICEF is an ambitious multi-stakeholder public-private youth partnership (PPYP) platform that aims to prepare young people to transition from education and learning to productive work and active citizenship.

It was formed by UNICEF, together with public and private sector partners, development partners, civil society organisations, foundations, and young people.

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