Raheem Akingbolu writes on the Diageo’s Learning for Life project and how the initiative appears to be addressing issues related to unemployment in Nigeria.
In it’s 2025 report about youth unemployment in Nigeria, the World Bank warned that the West African nation faces an explosive youth employment crisis driven by a massive mismatch between a rapidly expanding youth population and the rate of domestic job creation. The Bretton Wood commission emphasized that closing this gap requires an immediate overhaul of delivery and skill acquisition system.It was noted of the 220m population, 57% are below 50 and 33% of that are unemployed. These alarming figures have been debated with policymaking circles, lamented in boardrooms and referenced in countless social impact reports. However, the head scratching question has been how best can this menace ravaging the Nigerian society be tamed and turned into a valuable asset.
Diageo in partnership with Celebra-8 Lyfe have shown that they are businesses who value their communities and would proudly invest in them. Both firm’s recent partnership to birth the skill acquisition initiative, Learning For Life as a youth focused empowerment programme for the hospitality sector is a practical example of businesses who are no longer interested in debating nor using youth unemployment for just market analysis and conversation point in boardrooms.
