Youth Employ, ILO Rally Stakeholders to Build Future-Ready Skills for Nigerian Youth
As the world of work continues to evolve, stakeholders across government, the private sector, development organisations, and academia are calling for a more coordinated approach to preparing young people for the opportunities and challenges ahead.
The conversation took centre stage during the 2026 World Youth Skills Day commemoration, organised by the Youth Employ & Development Initiative in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, and other development partners at the United Nations House, Abuja, under the global theme, “Skills for a Shared Future.”
The event brought together government representatives, policymakers, development partners, educators, youth organisations, private sector leaders, and hundreds of young people to explore how Nigeria can better prepare its youth for an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, digital transformation, climate innovation, and emerging technologies.
Delivering the opening remarks, Founder and Executive Director of Youth Employ & Development Initiative, Akin Akinbisola, stressed that equipping young people with future-ready skills has become more urgent than ever as technology continues to redefine the nature of work.
“As we commemorate World Youth Skills Day, we are reminded that our world is being reshaped by digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and the green transition. Our responsibility is to ensure that every young person has the skills not just to adapt, but to shape the future,” he said.
Akinbisola described the gathering as a reflection of the growing commitment among government, development partners, civil society, and the private sector to expand opportunities for young people through quality skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and decent work.
He encouraged participants to take full advantage of the learning and networking opportunities provided by the event.
“Let us learn, connect, ask bold questions, build meaningful partnerships, and leave here inspired to shape the future we all want to see,” he added.
The programme featured keynote presentations, panel discussions, knowledge-sharing sessions, and networking opportunities focused on digital skills, entrepreneurship, innovation, employability, and strengthening pathways to decent work for young people.
Among the guests was social entrepreneur and Creator of Voluserve, Raquel Kasham Daniel, who called for greater recognition of volunteering as an important pathway to skills development and human capital development.
According to her, while conversations around youth skills often focus on formal education and technical training, volunteering offers young people practical opportunities to develop workplace competencies such as leadership, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, project management, and professional ethics—skills that employers increasingly value.
“I believe volunteering is one of the most underutilised pathways to skills development and human capacity development. It allows young people to gain practical experience, build professional networks, develop transferable skills, and demonstrate their abilities long before securing formal employment. If we are serious about preparing young people for the future of work, then volunteering should be recognised and explored as an integral part of the skills development ecosystem,” she said.
Daniel noted that volunteering not only strengthens employability but also nurtures responsible citizenship, leadership, and community engagement. She advocated for stronger integration of volunteering into national youth development and skills policies as a practical way to bridge the gap between learning and employment.
Discussions throughout the event reinforced the importance of collaboration among governments, educational institutions, employers, development organisations, and young people themselves in building inclusive systems that connect skills development to meaningful opportunities.
The event concluded with a renewed call for greater investment in partnerships, innovation, and practical pathways that enable young people to transition successfully from learning to earning while contributing to national development.
Youth Employ & Development Initiative reaffirmed its commitment to working alongside government, development partners, academia, and the private sector to equip young Africans with the skills, opportunities, and support systems needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
As conversations around the future of work continue to gain momentum, participants agreed that building a shared future will require more than equipping young people with technical skills. It will require creating the ecosystems, partnerships, and opportunities that allow those skills to translate into meaningful employment, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.
About Youth Employ & Development Initiative
Youth Employ & Development Initiative is a youth-focused nonprofit organisation committed to advancing employability, entrepreneurship, innovation, and future-ready skills across Africa. Through strategic partnerships, capacity-building programmes, policy engagement, and ecosystem development, the organisation equips young people to access decent work, build sustainable enterprises, and drive meaningful social and economic transformation.
