Jubilee Fellows Programme scales up across Nigeria

The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme plans to expand its roster of participating organisations as it prepares for a second implementation phase, organisers disclosed on Tuesday.

Launched through a partnership involving the Federal Government, the United Nations Development Programme, and support from the European Union, the programme places young Nigerian graduates in 12-month work experiences with organisations willing to provide mentorship and practical training.

The model is relatively straightforward: organisations register and specify the roles or skills they need, fellows apply and undergo screening, and successful matches result in year-long placements. The programme handles most of the administrative work, screening, documentation, and ongoing support, while host organisations provide the actual workplace and supervision.

So far, the initiative has placed thousands of Fellows across various sectors and states. Some organisations have converted Fellows into permanent staff, while others have used the programme to access talent they could not otherwise afford or attract through conventional hiring.

For its next phase, programme organisers said they are refining the matching process to ensure placements deliver meaningful value to both sides, aiming for fewer mismatches and more outcomes that benefit fellows’ career development and hosts’ operational needs.

Eligibility to participate is broad. Any registered organisation, business, government agency, or NGO can apply if it has the capacity to supervise a fellow and can provide proper documentation, including CAC registration and TIN. There is no participation fee.

Organisations can register online, fill out a profile, submit required documents, and indicate the support they need. Once approved, they become part of the pool from which fellows are matched.

Smaller organisations, particularly those outside major commercial centres, benefit from access to graduate-level talent that might not otherwise consider positions with them. Larger institutions can use the programme to test potential hires and contribute to addressing Nigeria’s persistent youth unemployment challenge.