Abia State Governor Alex Otti has pledged his administration’s full support for the United Nations Development Programme’s implementation of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme 2.0, describing it as a natural fit for his government’s youth-focused agenda.
Otti made the commitment while receiving a delegation led by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Delivery and Coordination, Office of the Vice President, Akubo Adegbe, who visited Government House, Umuahia, with a UNDP team to seek Abia’s formal participation in the scheme.
The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme 2.0 is a flagship Federal Government youth employment initiative coordinated by the Office of the Vice President and implemented by UNDP with support from international partners. It offers 12‑month paid placements for young graduates in public institutions, private companies and civil society organisations, with the goal of improving employability, skills and long‑term career prospects.
Otti said the programme mirrors policies already being pursued in Abia, particularly in technology, creativity and leadership development. He cited the state’s TechRise initiative, which trains young people for opportunities in the digital economy. According to him, 510 participants graduated in the first TechRise cohort, while 849 completed TechRise 2.0, underscoring the administration’s commitment to practical skills acquisition.
The governor listed the digital economy as Abia’s top priority area for collaboration under NJFP 2.0, followed by the creative sector, energy and other fields where young people in the state are showing strong interest. He also highlighted the work of the Abia Leadership Academy, which has already graduated about 1,000 youths in two streams, with another batch in view.
Otti stressed the need to close the gap between academic qualifications and real-world relevance, arguing that graduates must be better integrated into the economy and society. He directed his Principal Secretary and Chief Strategy Officer, Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, to work closely with the visiting team to define Abia’s specific commitments and areas of engagement.
UNDP Team Lead Innocent Ejolu said the new phase of the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme aims to deploy 20,000 fellows annually across the country, with stronger emphasis on skills development, job matching and retention. He noted that more than 14,000 young Nigerians have already benefited nationwide and that Abia’s co-investment could significantly expand placements in the state and build a pipeline of future civil servants, entrepreneurs and private-sector talent.
Adegbe, representing the Presidency, praised Otti’s reform efforts and said NJFP 2.0 had been redesigned to reflect state-level priorities, insisting that domesticated implementation and strong political backing are essential to avoid the failures that plagued earlier national schemes. He requested Abia’s political support, financial contribution to the programme’s basket fund and clear identification of sectors best suited for the state’s youths.
Senior Abia government officials, including the Commissioners for Trade and Commerce and for Sports and Youth Development, attended the meeting, signalling the administration’s intention to embed the programme within its broader economic and social reforms.
