Young Africa Launches in Nigeria to Empower Over 18,000 Youths with Skills for the Future

Young Africa International (YAI), a leading non-profit organisation known for transforming the lives of youth through skills development across Southern Africa, officially launched operations in Nigeria – the country with the largest youth population. Backed by a grant from the Mastercard Foundation, the Youth Employability Booster (YEB) Project will equip 18,300 young Nigerians with vocational, digital, and entrepreneurial skills over the next four years.

The launch event, held at the John Bosco Institute of Technology in Kubwa, Abuja, marked the beginning of Young Africa’s expansion into West Africa — a significant milestone in its 27-year history. The YEB Project was unveiled in the presence of key stakeholders from government, civil society, and the development sector.

“We chose Nigeria because it has the largest youth population and one of the highest youth unemployment rates on the continent,” said Dorien Beurskens, CEO and Co-Founder of Young Africa. “But more importantly, we see boundless potential and resilience in Nigeria’s youth. This project is about unlocking that potential to fuel national transformation.”

 

At the heart of the YEB Project is a six-month, mobile training programme that delivers practical, industry-relevant skills directly to communities. Designed to reach even the most underserved and remote populations, the initiative removes traditional barriers to access and promotes inclusivity — with 75% of participants expected to be women and at least 10% people with disabilities.

Wellington Muchechetere, Grants Coordinator for Young Africa Nigeria, said,

“the uniqueness of the mobile training approach is that “instead of expecting youth to travel to vocational centres, we’re bringing training to them.”

 

The programme is already underway, with more than 500 young people currently undergoing training across four states — Ondo, Lagos, Anambra (Onitsha), and the FCT (Abuja). These locations represent the initial pilot areas, with plans for nationwide expansion through a stakeholder-driven, community-owned model.

Nigerian government representatives welcomed the initiative, affirming its alignment with national priorities to promote sustainable employment and close the skills gap.

Minister of Youth Development, Hon. Ayodele Olawande, praised the programme for supporting ongoing efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda to generate jobs across various sectors. He emphasized that the YEB project aligns seamlessly with the Nigerian Youth Academy and strengthens existing partnerships with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), emphasized the synergy with the NYSC’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship

Development (SAED) programme, noting that empowering youth with practical skills is key to building strong communities and national development.

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) pledged support to integrate mobile training into national frameworks, while the Federal Ministry of Education backed the model’s potential to expand access and empower youth.

In addition to mobile training, the project features a franchise model — a UNESCO-UNEVOC best practice — to support local vocational centres in becoming self-sustaining and independent of donor support. A dedicated business development arm, tailored to support female participants, particularly young mothers, will provide access to loans, mentorship, and coaching, extending support beyond traditional training.

“Our goal is not just to skill young people,” Wellington Muchechetere emphasised. “Rather, we want to transition them into meaningful livelihoods. We’re here to spark a movement that empowers communities and transforms lives.”

 

As Young Africa sets roots in Nigeria, it continues to invite partners from across sectors to join the movement — empowering youth and building resilient communities, one skill at a time.

Watch the launch video here