The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and global technology company Cisco have partnered to equip up to 50,000 Nigerian youths with digital skills to improve their employability and prepare them for opportunities in the evolving digital economy.
The initiative, supported by the European Union (EU), will provide beneficiaries of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) with free access to Cisco’s Networking Academy platform to acquire industry-relevant digital competencies.
The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the United Nations House in Abuja on Friday, bringing together government representatives, development partners, NJFP fellows and alumni.
The initiative seeks to complement graduates’ workplace experience with digital training, strengthening the connection between education, practical skills and employment at a time when technology is transforming industries and labour markets.
The NJFP is a Federal Government initiative funded by the EU and implemented by UNDP to connect Nigerian graduates with structured workplace learning and employment opportunities.
Representing the Office of the Vice President’s Delivery Unit, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Delivery and Coordination, Akubo Adegbe, said the collaboration would reinforce the link between skills acquisition and job creation.
He said the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its priorities of employment generation, economic empowerment and human capital development.
The EU said the partnership reflected its broader commitment to building a competitive and inclusive Nigerian economy in which young people could drive innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable growth.
The Head of Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Yolanda San Jose, reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to youth empowerment and Nigeria’s digital economic development.
She said the EU’s Global Gateway strategy supported the development of a competitive, greener and more inclusive economy, with young people playing a central role in innovation and the creation of sustainable economic opportunities.
UNDP Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, said the collaboration would help connect the skills and workplace experience of young Nigerians with employment opportunities in an increasingly competitive labour market.
Attafuah said the partnership combined Cisco’s technology expertise with UNDP’s development experience to support young people in securing meaningful employment and sustainable livelihoods.
Under the agreement, participating NJFP fellows and alumni will gain access to digital learning opportunities through Cisco Networking Academy on a rolling basis. The training is expected to complement their workplace exposure and improve their readiness for careers requiring digital proficiency.
Beyond the immediate beneficiaries, the programme is designed to expand the pool of digitally skilled workers available to employers while addressing the persistent gap between formal education and the practical competencies required by businesses.
The EU delegation noted that young people account for about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population, underscoring the importance of youth skills development and access to productive employment in achieving inclusive economic growth.
As digital technologies increasingly shape business operations, financial services, communications and other sectors, the partnership positions digital skills development as a critical tool for improving graduates’ employment prospects.
However, the programme’s long-term success will depend on how effectively beneficiaries translate their training into jobs, entrepreneurship and other sustainable economic opportunities.
The collaboration adds a digital skills component to the NJFP’s workplace learning model, with the potential to help more Nigerian graduates compete for opportunities in an economy undergoing rapid technological transformation.
