The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has announced a strategic partnership with German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to set up job centers across Nigeria in a bid to tackle unemployment and strengthen skills development nationwide.
NDE Director-General, H.E. Silas Ali Agara, received the GIZ delegation at the Directorate’s headquarters, where discussions focused on creating a framework for the centers within NDE facilities. The delegation was led by Mrs. Svejetlana Djokic, Programme Component Manager for Employment and Promotion, who emphasized the importance of building a sustainable model that will link young Nigerians with employment opportunities while improving their technical and entrepreneurial skills.
Also present at the meeting was Mr. Edmund Onwuliri, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at the NDE, whose department will oversee the rollout and operations of the proposed job centers. The collaboration involves the NDE, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and GIZ, signaling a multi-institutional effort to address one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges: unemployment among young people and graduates.
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Agara described the initiative as a major step toward strengthening Nigeria’s labour market systems, explaining that the centers would not only connect job seekers to employers but also provide training, career guidance, and support for start-ups.
“This partnership is crucial for boosting job creation and empowering Nigerians with the right skills to meet market demand. It will open up fresh opportunities for our youth and reduce the unemployment rate significantly,” Agara stated.
For GIZ, which has a strong presence in Nigeria through various economic development programmes, the job center initiative is part of a broader mission to foster inclusive growth by equipping young people with practical skills and connecting them with both local and international opportunities.
With the collaboration now moving into the design and implementation phase, the NDE-GIZ job centers are expected to become a cornerstone of Nigeria’s employment strategy, supporting the government’s vision of economic empowerment and sustainable development.
