Press Statement by Wafaa Saeed – UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative

ABUJA, NIGERIA, 01 April 2026 - UNICEF Nigeria joins the Government and people of Nigeria in marking an important moment for the country’s young people. On 31 March 2026, the Generation Unlimited Nigeria (GenU 9JA) National Secretariat was formally launched and anchored within the Office of the Vice President a clear signal of Government ownership and commitment to placing young people at the very center of Nigeria’s national development agenda. This is a milestone UNICEF is proud to share as a committed partner in what is becoming one of the most ambitious efforts to connect millions of young people to learning, skills, and economic opportunities.

Since its launch in 2021, Generation Unlimited Nigeria has impacted over 11 million young Nigerians across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, providing access to digital skills, employment pathways, and civic engagement opportunities with particular emphasis on young women and youth from marginalized communities. With a target of reaching 20 million young people by 2030, the establishment of the National Secretariat marks the next chapter in this journey.

Co-led by the Office of the Vice President and UNICEF under the Generation Unlimited Nigeria Public-Private-Youth Partnership (PPYP), the Secretariat will serve as a high-level coordination and systems-integration hub. It will bring together key line ministries, the private sector, development partners, and young people to strengthen policies, programmes, and investments in support of youth skilling, employment, entrepreneurship, and digital inclusion -delivered at scale and with urgency.

As co-lead of the Secretariat, UNICEF Nigeria reaffirms its full commitment to this partnership. UNICEF will continue to provide technical and systems expertise in designing and scaling learning-to-earning pathways - spanning digital skills, education, employability, and entrepreneurship, with a strong focus on evidence, data, and results. We look forward to working closely with the Office of the Vice President, line ministries, the private sector, and young Nigerians themselves to ensure the Secretariat delivers the change that Nigeria’s youth deserve.