By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that its flagship youth initiative, Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA), has now been officially institutionalized under the Office of the Vice President, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s commitment to youth empowerment and digital transformation.
This was disclosed in a press release issued by UNICEF’s Communication Officer, Blessing Ejiofor, saying that, since its launch in 2021, GenU 9JA has reached over 11 million young Nigerians across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with a strong focus on young women and marginalized groups. Through partnerships with both public and private sectors, UNICEF has provided access to digital learning, employment pathways, mentorship, and civic engagement—helping young people transition successfully from learning to earning.
Speaking during the GenU 9JA annual Steering Committee meeting in Lagos, Ms. Wafaa Saeed, UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, said the institutionalization under the Office of the Vice President underscores the government’s firm commitment to creating sustainable opportunities for young Nigerians. “With over 11 million youth already impacted, we are on track to reach our goal of supporting 20 million young people by 2030,” she stated.
Through collaboration with major corporate partners such as Airtel, MTN, Microsoft, Unilever, IHS Towers, and Jobberman, UNICEF’s GenU 9JA has enabled over 255,000 youth to access mobile data and digital resources, while the Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA) connected more than 400,000 youth to skills and livelihood opportunities. Over 85,000 young people received mentorship, and 300,000 were mobilized for climate action under the Green Rising campaign.
As the initiative moves into its next phase, UNICEF and its partners—including the Office of the Vice President and the Tony Elumelu Foundation—have pledged to scale up their efforts to support an additional 2.5 million youth with jobs, training, and entrepreneurship opportunities by 2026, reaffirming their shared vision of empowering Nigeria’s youth as key drivers of national development.