The Lagos State Government has announced a significant new programme aimed at improving students’ digital knowledge and entrepreneurship skills as a direct measure to combat soaring youth unemployment. Through the Ministry of Tertiary Education, the state is set to launch the Job Initiative Lagos (JIL), an intensive training programme spanning three weekends for students attending state-owned tertiary institutions.
This entrepreneurship and digital literacy training is a cornerstone of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s enhanced T.H.E.M.E.S Plus agenda, specifically focusing on the pivotal areas of Education and Technology.
Tolani Sule, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, confirmed the administration’s commitment to boosting the state’s socio-economic growth by leveraging digital knowledge. He noted that the programme is designed to foster essential qualities such as entrepreneurship, creativity, and effective problem-solving skills among the next generation. The ultimate goal, he stated, is to reduce the high rate of unemployment and solidify Lagos State’s position as the foremost hub for digital technology across the entire Sub-Saharan region.
The Commissioner highlighted that the training is intended to supplement the students’ academic knowledge with vital, first-hand industry expertise. This integrated approach ensures that graduates leave education with the practical skills necessary to thrive and compete successfully in the globally connected, digitally driven world.
The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adeniran Kasali, assured prospective participants that the programme offers exceptional value, stressing that this high-calibre training which would ordinarily be very expensive is being provided entirely free of charge by the state government. He also guaranteed that the training sessions would be led by meticulously selected, seasoned professionals, specifically tasked with preparing the students for future global challenges and empowering them to become self-reliant contributors to the development of Lagos and Nigeria upon their graduation.
The three-weekend programme is scheduled to begin simultaneously on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at two main centres: the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, and the Lagos State Health Technology, Yaba. The initiative will host over five hundred students from various state-owned tertiary institutions, reflecting the current administration’s strong determination to curb the escalating trend of graduate unemployment
This initiative represents a strategic economic policy designed to shift the state’s workforce dynamics from one reliant on job-seekers to one defined by job-creators.
Youth unemployment is a major economic drag, wasting human capital and driving social instability. By investing heavily in digital literacy and entrepreneurship, the Lagos State Government is essentially investing in the state’s future Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Creating a skilled, digitally fluent workforce reduces the skills gap, making local talent more competitive globally and more attractive to foreign investors in the booming tech sector. Furthermore, training young people to start their own businesses generates wealth, creates new employment opportunities for others, and diversifies the state’s revenue base away from traditional sectors. This policy is a crucial step towards building a sustainable, knowledge-based economy resilient to future shocks.
