The Kogi Government has pledged full administrative support for the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) 2.0 to ensure the 12-month paid fellowship delivers maximum impact for youth employment.

The Secretary to the Government, Folashade Ayoade, gave the assurance on behalf of Governor Ahmed Ododo at the NJFP 2.0 Kogi Employers and Fellows Engagement on Thursday in Lokoja.

The governor described his administration as “an unwavering pillar of support for initiatives that turn human capital into economic value.”

He said NJFP 2.0 bridges the gap between academic qualifications and workplace experience, solving the paradox of “you need experience to get a job but need a job to get experience.”

“Fellows for this cohort hold a minimum of Second Class Lower or Upper Credit HND and completed NYSC from 2022.”

The governor urged employers to treat fellows as “assets for organisational transformation,” not cheap labour, and to nurture talent, inject innovation, and build Kogi’s economy.

To fellows, he advised: “A degree gets you through the door but character keeps you in the room.”

Mr Ododo thanked the federal government, the EU, and the UNDP for the partnership, reaffirming his commitment to skills acquisition, ease of doing business, and digital literacy.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to policies that enhance skills acquisition, ease of doing business, and digital literacy to create an enabling ecosystem where businesses thrive and youth empowerment is sustained.

The Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Monday Anyebe, also charged young people to key into the programme to build skills, gain experience, and access mentorship after graduation.

Yomi Olufiade, project lead, North Central Talent Management Company, said NJFP is a federal government initiative funded by the EU and implemented by the UNDP.

He noted that the programme, since its inception in 2021, has connected thousands of graduates with structured workplace opportunities, coaching, and professional development.

Chiedu Nwokolo, UNDP Impact Monitoring and Learning Lead, highlighted NJFP’s growing impact and urged more Kogi employers to participate.

Akubo Adegbe, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Delivery and Coordination, said the programme aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda by expanding access to opportunity and building a workforce capable of driving economic growth.

The engagement brought Kogi-based employers, young professionals, and government representatives together to strengthen connections and expand opportunities for workforce development.

For fellows, the event provided direct access to employers, insights into workplace expectations, and clarity on positioning themselves in a competitive labour market.

Host organisations praised access to pre-screened, workplace-ready talent while sharing expectations around professionalism, adaptability, communication, and performance.

Employers noted that the engagement reaffirmed the quality of talent within the NJFP ecosystem and their interest in supporting initiatives that drive organisational growth and youth employment.

As NJFP expands across Nigeria, state-level engagements like the one held in Kogi play a vital role in strengthening local workforce ecosystems and connecting more young Nigerians to meaningful workplace opportunities.

 (NAN)