10/04/2026
I recently had the privilege of engaging with United Nations Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Youth Affairs, (United Nations Youth Office) Felipe Paullier Olivera, during his official work visit to Nigeria — a visit that brought together government representatives, CSOs, youth leaders, innovators and UN Agencies including International Labour Organization UNICEF, United Nations Population Fund, UNODC amongst others.
Our Agenda? : building and Investing in the development of Africa's Youth and Future Generation.
📍Moments like this affirm exactly why I made the decision to join Sydani Group 14 months ago. Here's what I mean:
📍Africa and Nigeria especially is at a defining moment in its Human Capital demographic dividend Journey and here's where it gets interesting.
📍Organizations like Sydani are setting the standard for what structured, competency-driven youth development actually looks like in practice. The Sydani Fellowship Programme (SFP), now in its ninth (9th) cohort, has trained over 200 young professionals through a rigorous six-month model that blends technical instruction, real-world project exposure, mentorship, and continuous performance monitoring — with an 85%+ post-programme placement rate.
⚫Beyond SFP, the Kodex programme has further extended this commitment by equipping young Nigerians with in-demand tech skills across data analysis, product design, web and mobile development, and digital marketing and top performers securing six-month paid placements. These programmes are proof of concept for scalable workforce development.
⚫ASG Felipe visit to Nigeria is a signal to the world that this country is being watched — and for good reason!
📍When global youth leadership takes a seat at the table with Nigerian stakeholders, it is because the work being done here matters. I joined Sydani because I believed in the mission of bridging learning and employment for young Africans. Fourteen months in, I am even more convinced. We are not waiting for the future — we are building it
I would be sharing a detailed account in my upcoming posts.
WATCH OUT 🔥