By joshua 
Jubilee Fellows Program, antidote to Nigeria’s unemployment crisis, japa syndrome, says Implementing partners
The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP), has been described as an antidote capable of bridging the nation’s unemployment gap.
Similarly, the NJFP, has the capacity to address the brain drain popularly called ‘Japa Syndrome in Nigeria amongst youths, travelling out of the country in drove in search of job opportunities.
Mr. Yomi Olufiade, Program Manager, North Central Talent Management Company (TMC) of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme stated this in Lokoja during a town hall meeting to appraise the program in Kogi and the North Central states.
Olufiade said the success stories recorded in the zone during the time under review underscores its importance in bridging the gap of unemployment in the country.
Olufade said, As a Talent Management Company (TMC) and implementing partner since July 2024 when we were on boarded/engaged as the TMC for North Central region, comprising 6 states in Nigeria (Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, Kwara) and the FCT; we have registered 798 New Host organisations, visited 759 Host Organizations, verified and found 431 Host Organizations eligible, matched 857 Fellows with about 127 Host Organisations and 420 Fellows resumed their fellowship in the North Central region.
The number from Kogi State revealed that 103 new host organizations registered and 71 organizations found eligible; 33 Fellows matched with 5 host organizations and 14 Fellows resumed their fellowship.
“This is more than just another project where only numbers will be looked out for. It is a commitment to tackling the pressing challenges of youth unemployment while cultivating a generation of leaders equipped with world-class skills, practical expertise, and the confidence to shape Nigeria’s destiny.
“Today’s Town Hall Meeting provides us with a unique opportunity—not only to reflect on the strides we have made through NJFP but also to listen, to engage, and to inspire one another. It is a space where success stories will echo as proof of what we can achieve together and where innovative ideas will emerge to refine and expand the impact made in the lives of these Fellows.
“The young people we are empowering today are not just our future leaders; they are the change makers of today. They are the engine of growth, creativity, and resilience in every sector of our economy. And through the NJFP, we are making sure their voices are heard, their skills are sharpened, and their contributions to national development are celebrated.
“To the Federal Government of Nigeria, the UNDP, and all our Host organisations/Partners; your immense dedication to this cause and commitment to empowering Nigerian Youths is not only commendable but transformative. You are noble.
“As we delve into meaningful discussions and remarkable achievements of this meeting, I endear each and every one of us to keep one goal in mind: how we can continue to collaborate, imbibe innovation to remold a Nigeria where no talent is wasted, no dream is left unfulfilled, no youth is left behind and the word “Japa syndrome” is totally eradicated in the minds of Nigerian Youths.”
The NJFP is a partnership program between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Co-funded by the European Union, designed to address youth unemployment by connecting talented graduates with local job opportunities to strengthen their expertise while equipping them with world-class practical knowledge and relevant skills.
In their separate remarks the Fellows and Host, all lauded the program, urged for it sustenance, said the program has impacted positively on their lives and businesses.
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