Nigeria’s Vice President has launched the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), a major initiative under the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at creating 2.5 million jobs across multiple sectors.
Developed by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, LEEP seeks to confront the country’s growing youth unemployment crisis and position Nigeria as a competitive player in the global digital economy. The programme is anchored on six key employment pillars and is designed to equip Nigerians with digital, vocational, and entrepreneurial skills necessary for the evolving world of work.
At the launch event in Abuja, the Vice President described the programme as a “season of opportunity” and highlighted the urgent need to prepare citizens for the rapid shifts in the global job landscape brought about by technology and digital transformation. He emphasised the importance of leveraging Nigeria’s youthful population to harness emerging trends such as gig work, remote employment, and global outsourcing.
LEEP targets all sectors of the economy, including the expanding digital and freelance industries, and aims to use technology to match skilled workers with employment opportunities. The Vice President also discouraged the rising wave of emigration, popularly referred to as “Japa,” urging Nigerians to invest their talents at home instead.
According to him, Nigeria’s strengths, including its large population, young median age, and English language fluency give it a competitive edge in becoming a global outsourcing hub by 2050.
The Minister of Labour and Employment reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling unemployment through strategic, inclusive, and sustainable programmes, noting that LEEP represents a vital step toward long-term national economic stability and prosperity.
