On the 4th of November 2022, the Sterling One Foundation in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted financial institutions to a discourse session on the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP).

The event which had over fifteen different organizations in attendance focused on ways each of the participating organizations could be a part of this youth empowerment partnership initiative between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Earlier this year, the Federal Government of Nigeria launched the Nigeria Jubilee Fellowship Programme which aims to place 20,000 young Nigerian graduates annually into paid one-year opportunities within private and public sector organizations across the country.

Citing the critical need for diverse support and resource mobilization, beyond traditional public finance and international aid, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and address one of the country’s biggest challenges, youth unemployment, the project partners designed the program to be a career launchpad for young Nigerians to hone their skills.

Welcoming the various organizations present at the event, the CEO of the Sterling One Foundation, Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe said that it was important to convene the meeting as the initiative being introduced was a win-win opportunity for everyone and a chance to create lasting impact. She thanked the different company representatives for joining and urged them to ensure they buy into the initiative.

Speaking to the various reps, UNDP’s Senior Advisor, Dr. William Tsuma highlighted the key benefits of the programme to each of the organizations and the different efforts that have been made to ensure it is a rewarding venture.

“The graduates we have selected into the programme were tested and picked from a very large pool, and have undergone additional training with our partners, so they hold lots of promise,” he said.

Reacting to his presentation, most of the financial institutions represented showed willingness to partner as host organizations, posing various questions to help them understand better how the diverse pool of fellows were selected and what skills they can expect them to have upon hiring them. They also thanked the organizers for such a timely intervention given the talent crisis sweeping the country and the lengthy process of finding good candidates for openings.

Some of them also described the opportunity to be host organizations as being a part of a national platform that can help them lend their support to curb the menace of unemployment within society.

The NJFP was launched on the 31st of August 2022 through a tripartite partnership between the UNDP, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and the European Union. As part of the programme, fellows will receive on-the-job training from their host organizations to

acquire key technical competencies while receiving a monthly stipend to be paid by the implementing partners for a 12-month period.

A key component of the programme is its focus on finding the most qualified talents through a transparent process and matching them with host organizations where they can be most impactful and grow.