By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja

The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) is playing a pivotal role in reducing youth unemployment and curbing the mass exodus of young Nigerians in search of greener pastures abroad, popularly referred to as the ‘Japa Syndrome’, according to implementing partners of the initiative.

Speaking at a Town Hall Meeting held in Lokoja to review the programme’s impact in Kogi State and the wider North Central region, Mr. Yomi Olufiade, Programme Manager for the region’s Talent Management Company (TMC), emphasized the significant progress made since their engagement in July 2024.

Olufiade revealed that in the North Central zone — comprising Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, Kwara States, and the FCT — the programme has:

Registered 798 new host organizations

Visited 759 organizations

Verified 431 organizations as eligible

Matched 857 Fellows with 127 Host Organizations

Successfully placed 420 Fellows in active fellowship roles

For Kogi State alone, the figures are equally promising:

103 new host organizations registered

71 found eligible

33 Fellows matched with 5 host organizations

14 Fellows already resumed their fellowships

“This is more than just another project where only numbers matter,” Olufiade said. “It is a commitment to tackling youth unemployment while nurturing a generation of leaders equipped with world-class skills, practical experience, and confidence to shape Nigeria’s future.”

He stressed that the programme offers a platform not only for employment but for innovation, dialogue, and leadership development. “Today’s Town Hall Meeting allows us to reflect on achievements, share success stories, and explore new ideas to expand the NJFP’s impact,” he added.

Olufiade lauded the contributions of the Federal Government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and other host organizations, stating that their unwavering support is “transformative and commendable.”

“The youths we are empowering today are the drivers of change and growth across all sectors,” he said. “Through NJFP, we are ensuring their voices are heard, their skills are sharpened, and their contributions to national development are recognized.”

He called on all stakeholders to continue collaborating and innovating toward a Nigeria where no talent is wasted, no dream is unfulfilled, and the urge to ‘Japa’ becomes a thing of the past.

The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme is a flagship partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the UNDP, co-funded by the European Union. It connects talented graduates with local job opportunities, strengthening their career prospects while bolstering the nation’s workforce with skilled, forward-thinking young professionals.