United Arab Emirates and Nigeria Join Forces to Empower over 7 Million Youths with Digital Expertise and Worldwide Career Prospects
The Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) has entered a strategic partnership with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to advance digital skills training and entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth. This collaboration was formalized during a high-level delegation visit to the UAE led by Nigeria's Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, between July 8-11, 2025[1][2][3][4].
Timeline
- July 8-11, 2025: High-level Nigerian delegation visits the UAE, meeting Sheraa and UAE officials to establish partnerships under NiYA[1][4].
- September 1-4, 2025: Planned National Digital Innovation Showcase powered by GITEX in Nigeria, featuring 300 Nigerian startups, in collaboration with Sheraa and Nigeria's National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)[2][3][4].
Objectives
- Empower over seven million Nigerian youths with digital literacy, civic leadership, entrepreneurial and startup skills[1][4].
- Connect Nigerian youth to global innovation ecosystems through collaboration with Sheraa, a leading innovation hub in the Middle East aligned with NiYA’s mission[1][2][3].
- Facilitate exposure to cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, business process outsourcing, startup incubation, and remote work[1][4].
- Provide Nigerian startups with global visibility, market access, and targeted growth support via events like the GITEX-powered National Digital Innovation Showcase[2][3][4].
- Establish Green House Centres in all 774 Nigerian local government areas for access to training and enterprise support[2].
Impact on Nigerian Youth Employment
- The initiative aims to create jobs and foster innovation, directly targeting youth employment challenges by equipping youths with market-relevant digital and entrepreneurial skills integrated into the global digital economy[1][4].
- By connecting Nigerian youth and startups to international platforms and investors, the partnership is expected to accelerate business growth and employment opportunities[2][3][4].
- Over 210,000 youths have already joined NiYA programmes, indicating rapid engagement and positive momentum[2].
This partnership represents a major government-led effort to harness digital transformation for youth empowerment, positioning Nigerian youths as creators and innovators in the global economy, rather than just consumers[1]. The collaboration with Sheraa and participation in global innovation platforms like GITEX showcase Nigeria’s ambition to integrate its young population into worldwide tech and entrepreneurial ecosystems, thereby boosting sustainable employment opportunities.
The demand for digital skills in Nigeria, as revealed by the World Bank and IFC report, underscores the importance of the partnership between Nigeria and the UAE. The urgent need for large-scale digital skill development across all sectors in Nigeria has been underscored. The partnership between Nigeria and the UAE is expected to contribute to the preparation of Nigerian youth for success in the fast-changing digital world.
Strategic talks were held between Minister Olawande and His Excellency Omar Al Olama, UAE Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications. Discussions centered on AI-driven education, business process outsourcing (BPO), startup incubation, and remote work-critical sectors for future youth employment and Nigeria's broader digital transformation agenda.
During the visit to the UAE, the Nigerian Youth Minister, Ayodele Olawande, held talks with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa). The National Digital Innovation Showcase is designed to open doors to global markets and attract investment for Nigeria's growing startup ecosystem.
The Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) is an initiative aimed at empowering over seven million Nigerian youths. By 2030, the World Bank and IFC have jointly estimated that 35-45% of jobs in Nigeria will require some degree of digital proficiency. The partnership between Nigeria and the UAE aims to provide digital skills, entrepreneurship training, and international exposure to Nigerian youth, ensuring they are well-equipped for the jobs of the future.
[1] "Nigeria-UAE Partnership to Empower Nigerian Youth through Digital Skills Training," Nigerian Ministry of Youth Development, July 12, 2025. [2] "Nigeria-UAE Partnership: Boosting Youth Employment through Digital Transformation," World Bank Blogs, July 15, 2025. [3] "Nigeria's NiYA and UAE's Sheraa Partner to Advance Digital Skills Training," TechCrunch, July 14, 2025. [4] "Nigeria's NiYA and UAE's Sheraa Form Strategic Partnership," BusinessDay, July 13, 2025.
- The strategic partnership between NiYA and Sheraa will not only provide Nigerian youth with exposure to cutting-edge technology fields such as artificial intelligence and digital economy, but also offer finance and entrepreneurship opportunities within the global startup ecosystem.
- As part of their mission to integrate Nigerian youth into worldwide tech and entrepreneurial ecosystems, NiYA and Sheraa aim to facilitate education-and-self-development programs that emphasize digital literacy and civic leadership, empowering over seven million Nigerian youths for successful careers in the fast-changing digital world.
