Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP).

The Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP) is an updated and comprehensive strategy for 2021–2024, building upon the previous 2009–2011 Action Plan. Targeting individuals aged 15 to 29, NIYEAP addresses youth employment challenges through coordinated and integrated interventions. By leveraging lessons learned, enhancing existing frameworks and strategies, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, the plan identifies key priority areas to create synergies and align efforts effectively. NIYEAP supports the National Youth Policy (2019) objective of generating 3.7 million jobs annually from 2019 to 2023, demonstrating Nigeria’s commitment to reducing youth unemployment and contributing to national, regional, and global development goals. Operating within the context of existing policies and frameworks, NIYEAP guides federal institutions, civil society, youth organizations, and development partners in promoting decent employment opportunities for youth, while informing the development of related programs, initiatives, and budgets in a cohesive and sustained manner.
The goal of the Plan is to create decent, productive, and freely chosen employment for young people by reinforcing existing policies and aligning them with national development priorities. It focuses on four strategic areas: Employability, Entrepreneurship, Employment, and Equality and Rights. (1) Employability: Enhances education, vocational training, and skills development to improve youth employability in key sectors. Actions include expanding educational opportunities, promoting digital skills, upgrading informal learning, and strengthening links between education providers and employers; (2) Entrepreneurship: Supports youth entrepreneurship by providing training, access to finance, and promoting an enabling environment for youth-led businesses. It encourages formalizing informal enterprises and developing entrepreneurial opportunities in sectors like agriculture and the digital economy; (3) Employment: Aims to improve job matching, career guidance, and employment services for youth. It promotes public employment programs, youth participation in value chains, and job creation in sectors like agriculture, tourism, and security services; (4) Equality and Rights: Ensures equal opportunities for all young people, emphasizing vulnerable groups. It advocates for equal treatment in the workplace, extends social protection to young workers, and implements policies to address gender and youth disparities in employment.
Implementation strategies include (i) financing through government appropriations, supplemented by private sector contributions and support from international partners; (ii) coordination, involving government, private sector, civil society, and youth organizations to implement NIYEAP, and a National Youth Employment Action Committee to oversee the Plan's execution; (iii) monitoring and evaluation through annual reviews and surveys, with a final evaluation in 2023 to assess the plan's impact and efficiency; (iv) communication, to raise awareness of NIYEAP through various channels, including radio, social media, and a dedicated website, engaging youth and ensuring they are informed about employment initiatives; (v) implementation roadmap to reflect progress and adapt to emerging priorities in employability, entrepreneurship, employment, and equality.