How Nestlé’s ₦6bn youth revolution crushed Nigeria’s job crisis

By Joan Chioma Obinagwam

‎In Nigeria, where the median age hovers at a vibrant 18.1 years and over half the population pulses with the energy of those under 25, a demographic dividend teeters on the edge of destiny. This is a nation brimming with raw talent—innovators coding malaria-detection AI in dorm rooms, entrepreneurs scaling startups from market stalls—yet shadowed by a youth unemployment rate that spiked to 6.5% in Q2 2024, nearly triple the adult figure. The paradox is stark: a youthful powerhouse starved of opportunity, where dreams clash against systemic barriers like bureaucracy, corruption, and mismatched skills.

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‎Enter Nestlé Nigeria, the Swiss giant’s African flagship, which has quietly—yet relentlessly—emerged as an unlikely architect of hope. For over a decade, the company has poured more than ₦6 billion into a tapestry of initiatives designed not merely to bandage wounds but to build bridges to self-reliance. This is no fleeting corporate philanthropy; it’s a calculated rebellion against despair, transforming idle hands into skilled architects of tomorrow. In a country where government-led empowerment often dissolves into “assumptions rather than firsthand information,” as a damning 2024 Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) report revealed, Nestlé’s model stands as a beacon: direct, data-driven, and devastatingly effective.

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‎At the core of this revolution is the Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative, a global pledge launched in 2013 to empower 10 million young people worldwide by 2030. In Nigeria, it manifests as a four-pillared fortress: employability, skills development, support, and access to opportunities. The crown jewel? The Technical Training Centres (TTCs) in Agbara, Flowergate, and Abaji—state-of-the-art hubs blending Swiss precision with Nigerian grit. Since 2011, these centres have graduated over 200 young Nigerians, arming them with 18 months of hands-on mastery in mechanical, electrical, and automation engineering. The payoff: a staggering 97% employment rate, with many securing roles at Nestlé itself or launching ventures that ripple through local economies.

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‎Picture this: In September 2025, 20 fresh-faced graduates from the Flowergate TTC—many hailing from underserved communities—donned robes not just for ceremony, but for conquest. Among them was Aisha Kilaso, a 24-year-old from Ogun State, whose voice trembled with quiet triumph. “I am deeply grateful to Nestlé for this opportunity,” she shared post-graduation. “The programme has been instrumental in shaping both my personal and professional development. I look forward to seeing them extend this golden opportunity to other young Nigerians like myself.” Aisha’s story is no outlier; it’s the norm. Five from her cohort jetted off to Switzerland for an eight-week immersion, courtesy of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Swiss Embassy—a portal to global horizons that once seemed mythical.

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‎Nestlé’s alchemy doesn’t stop at engineering. The Nesternship Program, a virtual internship platform, has virtualized opportunity, allowing remote participants to shadow experts and build portfolios from Lagos to Kano. Complementing this is the Nestlé Youth Development Program, a mentorship crucible that hones soft skills like resilience and leadership. Annually, these efforts touch 25,000 lives, a figure that underscores the company’s role as a force multiplier in the Alliance for Youth Nigeria—a coalition with Jobberman, the UN Global Compact, and others, channeling apprenticeships and jobs to the masses.

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‎Yet, empowerment here is holistic, weaving education into every thread. The annual Community Scholarship Program targets high-achievers in science and technology, easing the financial vise on families amid economic headwinds. In 2025, entries opened to senior secondary and tertiary students near Nestlé’s operations, funding dreams that might otherwise wither. “These scholarships reflect our unwavering dedication to investing in the future of our youth,” affirmed Victoria Uwadoka, Nestlé Nigeria’s Corporate Communications, Public Affairs, and Sustainability Lead. “At a time when economic challenges place added strain on families nationwide, we’re proud to provide meaningful financial support that eases this burden. By investing in education, we’re not only empowering individual students but also fostering the growth and prosperity of our entire community.”

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‎For the youngest dreamers, Nestlé reaches back further. The MILO Basketball Championship, a grassroots juggernaut since 1999, has engaged 1.5 million children, scouting talent while instilling discipline and teamwork. It’s more than sport; it’s a foundation for the adolescent interventions that follow, addressing nutrition’s shadow over cognition—80% of Nestlé’s Nigerian products are fortified with iron, zinc, and calcium to combat deficiencies that hobble 3.7 million kids annually. And in a nod to entrepreneurial fire, the Youth Entrepreneurship Platform (YEP) equips budding agripreneurs with digital tools to turn ideas into empires, from regenerative farms to plant-based innovations.

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‎This symphony of impact resonates beyond balance sheets. Community leaders, from the Ona of Abaji to the Alagbara of Agbara, have lauded Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value (CSV) ethos, which ties corporate vitality to communal thriving. “I am proud to see a program that gives our youth real skills and opportunities,” declared Oba Lukman Jayeola Agunbiade, the Alagbara, at a recent graduation. “It is especially wonderful to see young people from my community succeeding through this initiative.”

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‎Experts echo this chorus. Dr. Dípò Awójídé, a chartered management consultant and human capital advocate, has long championed Nestlé’s model. “In a landscape littered with short-term fixes, Nestlé’s sustained investment—₦6 billion over 13 years—builds enduring human capital,” he observes. “It’s not charity; it’s capitalism with conscience, proving that private sector agility can outpace public inertia in unlocking youth potential.” From the continental perch, AUDA-NEPAD’s Director for Human Capital, Symerre Grey, aligns Nestlé’s efforts with Africa’s broader arc. “Initiatives like these are the ‘skills factories’ we need,” Grey noted at a 2025 Accra summit. “They don’t just train; they transform, aligning talent with market demands in a demographic boom where 12 million youth enter the workforce yearly. Nestlé’s blueprint shows how targeted empowerment can redefine Africa’s story from vulnerability to vanguard.”

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‎His Excellency Osuobeni Rawlings Krobari, Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires to Switzerland, adds diplomatic weight: “A skilled workforce is essential for Nigeria’s growth. These graduates are not just beneficiaries but ambassadors for their generation.” Even as Nestlé’s Market Head for Central and West Africa, Mauricio Alarcon, pledges continuity: “Through Nestlé Needs YOUth, we aim to help over 10 million young people access employment opportunities by 2030. Nestlé remains committed to youth empowerment.”

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‎Wassim Elhusseini, Nestlé Nigeria’s CEO, embodies this ethos. Personally mentoring 12,000 underprivileged schoolchildren through the Youth Leadership Mentoring Programme, he insists: “We believe that communities cannot thrive if they fail to offer a future for younger generations. This is about empowering young people to shape their futures and become catalysts for change.” Under his stewardship, the company’s Q3 2025 profits soared to ₦39.6 billion, a testament that purpose and profit can coexist.

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‎As Nigeria hurtles toward 2030, Nestlé’s role evolves from pioneer to partner, scaling via collaborations like UNESCO’s “Because Youth Matter” grants—up to $8,500 for 100 young changemakers tackling climate action. Challenges persist: scaling to match 64% under-24 demographics across West Africa demands bolder public-private pacts. Yet, in Agbara’s humming workshops or Flowergate’s sunlit courts, one truth gleams: When corporations like Nestlé invest in youth not as line items but as legacies, nations don’t just survive—they soar.

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‎This is Nigeria’s youth, reimagined—not as a ticking time bomb, but as a boundless frontier. Nestlé Nigeria is not just promoting empowerment; it is changing the narrative.

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