AU and EU Launches 51 Million Naira Opportunity for Youths in Nigeria, Others
- Young people in Nigeria and across Africa and Europe have been offered fresh opportunities to access international funding through the AU-EU Youth Action Lab
- The initiative aimed to empower youth-led organisations to design solutions, strengthen economic prospects, and collaborate across continents
- With grants worth up to 51 million naira available, the programme promised to amplify youth voices and drive change on global challenges
The African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) announced that young people in Nigeria and other countries would have the chance to access funding worth up to 51 million naira through the AU-EU Youth Action Lab.
The initiative was designed to support youth-led ideas and solutions that addressed pressing global challenges. Officials explained that the Youth Action Lab aimed to strengthen connections between young people across Africa and Europe.
Source: Twitter
The ambition was to encourage collaboration, learning, and sharing among youth initiatives, while also ensuring that their voices and solutions reached policy-makers at different levels, including the AU and EU.
Call for proposals in 2025
The Youth Action Lab confirmed that another call for proposals would be launched in the coming year. Youth from diverse backgrounds in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia (Somaliland Region), Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and all EU member states would be eligible to apply.
Four grant types for youth initiatives
The programme offered four distinct grant types, each lasting up to 12 months and tailored to different needs:
- Innovation Grants: Designed to support youth initiatives that wanted to design, test, or scale innovations linked to global challenges. Grants ranged between 30,000 and 40,000 euros for individual youth organisations.
- Entrepreneurship Grants: Focused on strengthening economic opportunities for young people. Grants of 30,000 euros were available for individual organisations or consortiums of youth organisations.
- Representation Grants: Targeted at underrepresented and marginalised youth in Africa, with the goal of enabling them to deliver change in their communities. These grants were managed by Restless Development Uganda, a non-profit agency supporting young leaders.
- Cooperation Grants: Encouraged African and European youth organisations to collaborate by sharing resources, knowledge, and strategies. Applications had to be submitted jointly by at least two organisations, with projects implemented across both continents.
Empowering Youth voices
Organisers stressed that the Youth Action Lab was designed to be “powershifting”, ensuring that young people were not only supported financially but also empowered to influence decision-making.
The initiative was seen as a major opportunity for young people in Nigeria and other eligible countries to access international funding, build partnerships, and contribute to solutions for global challenges.
See how to apply here.
Source: Twitter
FG’s 12-month internship with ₦150,000 monthly
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Federal Government of Nigeria has officially unveiled the second phase of its flagship youth employment initiative, the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP), offering a 12-month paid internship to fresh graduates across the country.
Branded as NJFP 2.0, the programme promises a monthly stipend of ₦150,000 and hands-on experience in reputable organisations nationwide. According to the government, NJFP 2.0 is a “stronger, smarter version” of the original programme, designed to connect high-potential Nigerian graduates with real-world work opportunities.
Officials stated that the initiative forms part of a broader strategy to bridge the unemployment gap, empower young professionals, and foster a more inclusive economy.
Source: Legit.ng
