{
  "id": 13449159,
  "title": "UNDP, Cisco Target 50,000 Nigerian Youths for Digital Skills Training",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/undp-cisco-target-50-000-nigerian-youths-for-digital-skills-training",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-10T10:09:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/10/10/undp-cisco-target-50000-nigerian-youths-for-digital-skills-training/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and technology giant Cisco have joined forces to train up to 50,000 Nigerian youths in digital skills, a partnership backed by the European Union (EU). The initiative aims to bridge the gap between graduate unemployment and the increasing demand for technology-driven jobs in Nigeria. The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP) beneficiaries will receive free access to Cisco’s Networking Academy platform, allowing them to acquire industry-relevant digital competencies to boost their employability and competitiveness in the job market. The partnership, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the UN House in Abuja, seeks to complement graduates' workplace experience with digital training, recognizing the growing importance of technological proficiency across industries. The NJFP is a federal government initiative funded by the EU and implemented by UNDP, designed to connect Nigerian graduates with structured workplace learning and employment opportunities. The collaboration aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on employment generation, economic opportunities, and human capital development. The EU's Head of Green and Digital Economy, Ms. Yolanda San Jose, emphasized the bloc's commitment to youth empowerment and Nigeria's digital economic development, highlighting the Global Gateway strategy supporting a competitive, greener, and inclusive economy where young people can drive innovation and create sustainable economic opportunities. UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, explained that the partnership would connect young Nigerians' skills and workplace experience with employment opportunities in a highly competitive labor market, leveraging Cisco's technology expertise and UNDP's development experience. While the immediate beneficiaries will gain digital learning opportunities through Cisco Networking Academy, the long-term impact will depend on beneficiaries' ability to translate their training into jobs, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic opportunities.",
  "summary": "Michael Olugbode in Abuja The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and global technology firm Cisco have entered into a partnership to equip up to 50,000 Nigerian youths with digital skills,",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}