The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and global technology company Cisco have partnered to expand digital skills training and employment opportunities for young Nigerians, unveiling an initiative designed to prepare the country’s growing youth population for an increasingly technology-driven economy.
The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Abuja on Friday, will strengthen the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) by connecting young people with internationally recognised digital learning resources, technical training, mentorship and practical workplace experience.
Under the arrangement, Cisco will contribute digital learning content and training opportunities valued at more than $52.7 million, with the initiative targeting 50,000 learners annually over the next three years.
The collaboration brings together the UNDP, the Federal Government and the private sector to address the growing demand for digital competencies across industries while improving young Nigerians’ access to quality employment.
The announcement was made at an event themed Strengthening Pathways to Digital Skills and Employment for Young Nigerians, which highlighted the importance of building stronger connections between education, professional training and the labour market.
UNDP and Cisco Target Digital Skills and Employment Gaps
The partnership builds on the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme, a flagship youth employability initiative funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the UNDP in collaboration with the Federal Government.
UNDP Resident Representative Elsie Attafuah said the collaboration would strengthen the transition from learning to earning by giving young Nigerians access to relevant skills, professional guidance and practical experience.
According to her, the NJFP has already placed nearly 35,000 fellows with more than 11,000 host organisations across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Attafuah said these placements had demonstrated the importance of providing young people with opportunities to gain professional experience while helping employers access emerging talent.
“A young Nigerian’s first opportunity to work can change a life. With relevant skills, mentorship and room to grow, it can also strengthen a business, improve a public service and create opportunities for others,” she said.
She noted that many young Nigerians possess the ambition and ability to succeed but face barriers linked to limited work experience, inadequate access to relevant training and weak connections with prospective employers.
The UNDP-Cisco partnership is intended to address some of these challenges by combining workplace placements with specialised digital education.
Attafuah said the collaboration would complement the existing programme by expanding training opportunities in computer networking, cybersecurity, data analytics, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.
These competencies could help participants qualify for technical roles, improve their professional confidence and apply digital tools to real business challenges.
She also called on employers, state governments and development partners to contribute to efforts aimed at making digital training more accessible and translating learning into sustainable employment.
Cisco Commits $52.7 Million in Digital Learning Resources
Cisco’s contribution is a central component of the initiative, which seeks to broaden access to technical knowledge and skills increasingly required across the modern workplace.
Cisco General Manager for Nigeria and Ghana, Abdulaziz Saidu, said the partnership would give young Nigerians access to internationally recognised digital learning resources intended to strengthen their employability.
He noted that Cisco Networking Academy, also known as NetAcad, had already reached more than one million learners in Nigeria, providing a foundation for expanding digital education through the new collaboration.
Under the partnership, Cisco will contribute training opportunities and digital learning content valued at more than $52.7 million.
The initiative aims to reach 50,000 learners every year for the next three years, potentially widening access to digital education for young people seeking employment or looking to develop new professional skills.
Saidu said the company was pleased to contribute its expertise to a programme that connects digital learning with practical experience and career development.
“This initiative reflects a shared commitment to unlocking the immense potentials of Nigeria’s youth and prepares them for the future to work,” he said.
The training areas identified by the partners reflect the growing role of technology in business operations, financial services, public administration and other sectors.
Cybersecurity skills, for example, can help organisations protect sensitive information, while data analytics can support better decision-making and customer engagement.
Artificial intelligence and networking competencies can also help participants pursue emerging opportunities in technology-related occupations.
However, the programme’s longer-term impact will depend not only on the number of learners reached but also on how effectively participants translate their training into jobs, entrepreneurship and career progression.
European Union Invests €44 Million in Youth Employability
The European Union has reaffirmed its support for the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme, describing the link between education and employment as an important factor in preparing young Nigerians for the changing global economy.
Yolanda San Jose, Head of Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said digital transformation was reshaping agriculture, manufacturing, financial services, healthcare and public administration.
She explained that digital competencies were becoming increasingly important to Nigeria’s economic competitiveness as businesses and institutions adopted new technologies.
According to San Jose, the EU has invested approximately €44 million in the NJFP to strengthen opportunities for young people to develop professional skills and gain workplace experience.
She welcomed the collaboration between UNDP and Cisco, expressing confidence that continued government leadership, private-sector participation and sustained investment could help the programme reach more young Nigerians than initially envisaged.
San Jose also reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to initiatives that promote employment, digital inclusion and economic development.
“European Union, under the Global Gateway strategy, remains committed to working alongside Nigeria to build a more competitive, greener, more digital and more inclusive economy,” she said.
The EU’s involvement provides an additional source of support for the programme as its partners seek to expand access to training and strengthen the relationship between skills development and employment opportunities.
Federal Government Backs Digital Skills Development
The Federal Government has also highlighted the importance of equipping young Nigerians with the skills needed to participate in an increasingly digital economy.
Akubo Adegbe, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Delivery and Coordination, said digital competencies were becoming essential across virtually every sector.
He explained that preparing young people for emerging opportunities required a combination of technical knowledge, practical experience and sustained collaboration between government and private-sector organisations.
Adegbe welcomed the UNDP-Cisco partnership, noting that it complemented the government’s efforts to improve employability and expand access to professional opportunities.
He said the government would continue working with its partners to strengthen the NJFP and establish mechanisms for sustaining the initiative.
He also emphasised the importance of ensuring that partnerships produced measurable outcomes for young people rather than stopping at training delivery.
The objective, he said, was to equip Nigerians with the capabilities required to participate in the workforce both now and in the years ahead.
As technology changes the nature of work, employers increasingly need people who can apply digital tools to practical tasks, solve problems and adapt to changing workplace requirements.
The partnership seeks to strengthen these capabilities while creating additional pathways into employment.
Inclusion Remains a Priority for the Programme
Beyond expanding the number of people receiving training, the UNDP has called for particular attention to young women, persons with disabilities and young people living in underserved communities.
Attafuah said these groups should have meaningful opportunities to participate in digital learning and access the employment prospects associated with new technologies.
Ensuring inclusion is important because unequal access to devices, internet connectivity, training facilities and professional networks can prevent some young people from benefiting from the digital economy.
The programme’s partners are therefore being encouraged to make learning practical and accessible while helping participants apply their knowledge to real-world challenges.
Greater access to digital skills could also support small businesses and public institutions that need workers capable of using technology to improve operations and service delivery.
The partners’ broader ambition is to ensure that young Nigerians can participate in the digital economy regardless of their background or location.
NJFP Alumni Welcome Expanded Opportunities
The partnership has received support from former participants and current fellows of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme.
Rebecca Oyesola and Abiodun Kayode, both NJFP alumnae and fellows, commended the UNDP, the Federal Government and the European Union for supporting the initiative.
They described the collaboration as an opportunity to strengthen employable skills, expand professional engagement and improve young people’s access to relevant digital competencies.
They also emphasised the importance of sustaining the partnership and encouraging broader participation so that more Nigerians could benefit from its training and career development opportunities.
Their reactions highlight the role that practical experience and professional exposure can play in helping young people navigate the transition from education into employment.
What the Partnership Means for Nigeria’s Digital Economy
The UNDP-Cisco agreement comes as digital technology continues to reshape the skills employers seek and the ways businesses operate.
By combining technical training, mentorship and workplace experience, the initiative aims to help young Nigerians prepare for employment opportunities in fields ranging from networking and cybersecurity to artificial intelligence and data analytics.
Its annual target of 50,000 learners over three years also signals an effort to expand digital education beyond a limited pool of participants.
For Nigeria, the challenge will be to ensure that these opportunities translate into lasting employment, stronger businesses and improved productivity.
Achieving that objective will require continued collaboration among government agencies, technology companies, educational institutions, employers and development partners.
The expansion of digital skills training must also be matched by access to relevant learning resources, practical experience and opportunities to apply newly acquired competencies in the workplace.
With Cisco’s training contribution valued at more than $52.7 million and the EU’s investment of approximately €44 million in the NJFP, the partnership brings significant resources to the effort to improve youth employability.
Ultimately, its success will be measured by the opportunities it creates for participants to secure jobs, advance their careers and contribute to Nigeria’s economic development.
By strengthening the connection between digital learning and practical employment, the initiative seeks to help young Nigerians build the skills and experience needed to compete in an evolving global labour market.
Source: NAN
