…Proposes $1 billion youth innovation fund to boost startups
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Policy Analyst and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ikeagwuonwu Chinedu Klinsmann, has unveiled a comprehensive strategic blueprint that outlines immediate and long-term solutions to tackle unemployment, stimulate entrepreneurship, and reposition Nigeria’s youth as economic drivers.
This is as he has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare “a national emergency on youth unemployment,” citing what he described as a “triple jobs crisis” facing Nigeria.
The Anambra-born Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of a Swedish-based Artificial Intelligence (AI), creativity startup, Askdeep.ai, warned that:“Nigeria is sitting atop a demographic goldmine that can either be our greatest advantage or our biggest risk.”
Klinsmann in a statement on Monday, said “Nigeria is at a crossroads, and bold, coordinated action is urgently needed.”
According to him, “Nigeria currently faces a demographic explosion, a skills mismatch, and a shrinking opportunity landscape.”
He cited alarming statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics and the World Bank, which show that over 5 million new job seekers enter the Nigerian labour market annually, while 87% of graduates lack employable skills and only 17% of start-ups survive beyond five years.
“This is not just an economic crisis; it’s the foundation of insecurity, mass migration, social unrest, and long-term economic stagnation,” he said.
Klinsmann who is also a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, proposed a detailed nine-pillar blueprint that draws on global best practices and adapts them to Nigeria’s socio-economic realities.
They include “reviving labour-intensive manufacturing, overhauling technical and vocational education, establishing digital and creative job hubs, providing targeted youth business grants and mentorship, and expanding access to microfinance and SME loans. He also called for entrepreneurship to be embedded in school curricula and emphasized the importance of behavioral training, job portals, and public-private partnerships.”
Referencing models from Germany, China, Bangladesh, South Africa, Benin Republic, and Egypt, Klinsmann stressed that Nigeria could replicate and even surpass these successes with the right mix of policy will, coordination, and investment.
“These aren’t theoretical proposals,” he emphasized.
“Every single recommendation is backed by verifiable global success stories. We just need to act.”
His key proposals include the creation of a National Job & Youth Enterprise Council (NJYEC) under the Presidency to coordinate multi-sectoral efforts across government ministries, the private sector, development finance institutions, and the diaspora.
He also advocated an aggressive implementation roadmap over 60 months, beginning with special economic zones and job hubs, expanding to a nationwide rollout of vocational systems, wage subsidies, and entrepreneurship centers.
Klinsmann unveiled a five-point emergency plan dubbed the “President Tinubu Jobs Accord,” which includes: a Skills Nigeria Initiative modeled after Germany’s dual vocational education system; a $1 billion youth innovation fund to boost startups; a mechanized agriculture revolution modeled after Brazil and China; a digital job expansion strategy inspired by the Philippines and Estonia; and a National Infrastructure Corps to employ millions of youths in road, rail, and housing projects.
He further proposed creative financing mechanisms such as a $2 billion diaspora jobs bond, reinvestment of 30% of oil subsidy savings into job creation, the establishment of a corporate jobs tax credit, and a monthly presidential jobs performance report to ensure transparency and public accountability.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda has ignited a national awakening, but to translate hope into prosperity, we must act swiftly and systemically,” he stated.
He added: “We need a Presidential Youth Jobs Summit, a National Youth Enterprise Trust Fund, partnerships with global donors, and an immediate Presidential Jobs Task Force.”
Drawing parallels with historical policy wins in nations that transformed their youth bulges into productive economies, Klinsmann stressed that Nigeria’s story does not have to be different.
He warned that without immediate intervention, Nigeria risks losing an entire generation to poverty, disillusionment, and flight.
“Let us be the generation that ends Nigeria’s unemployment crisis—not by waiting for jobs, but by building an economy where every young Nigerian can create one,” he said.
Klinsmann offered personal expertise and support to the Federal Government, stating that “as the CEO of Askdeep.ai, a Swedish-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) creativity startup, I stand ready to assist with the formation and execution of the proposed Presidential Jobs Task Force when called upon.”
“This is not just a political responsibility; it is a generational calling. The future of Nigeria rests on how we respond to the cries of our youths today,” he declared.
