The MacArthur Foundation has unveiled a new initiative, Nigeria Next, aimed at empowering young people and amplifying their voices in shaping the country’s future.
Building on its last project, “On Nigeria”, which ended last year, the new initiative is focused on investing in young people in Nigeria by fostering digital inclusion, innovation, economic opportunity, civic participation, and government policies, according to information published on the foundation’s website.
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The “On Nigeria” project supported Nigerian-led efforts to strengthen accountability, governance and transparency between 2016 and 2024.
Nigeria Next
According to the foundation, the programme will use a mix of grants, impact investments, and thought leadership to help address barriers to the adoption of digital tools, build an ecosystem of innovation, promote policies supported by research and analysis, and expand the number of young people embracing civic participation.
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“We work in partnership with MacArthur’s Technology in the Public Interest and Journalism and Media programmes, and we prioritise collaboration with other philanthropic organisations,” the foundation said.
Before the project, the foundation said it commissioned a paper to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing young people, and several of its staff members travelled to Nigeria for consultative meetings.
The foundation added that colleagues from these programmes began convening discussions in 2022.
“We reached out deliberately to communities across the hinterland and coastal cities, including Kafanchan, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Bauchi, Maiduguri, and the hubs of Abuja, Kano, and Lagos. Our intent was to listen to a broad range of voices,” it said.
“Through these conversations, interconnected themes emerged related to young people, civic participation, technology, and media.”
Reflection on new initiative
The Director of MacArthur’s Nigeria Office, Kole Shettima, said the new initiative is designed to harness the creativity and energy of young Nigerians to play a critical role in making a lasting contribution to the future and development.
“We believe that with greater access to digital tools, spaces that catalyse their creativity, and amplification of their voices in civic spaces, young people can unleash their potential and move us towards a new Nigeria,” Mr Shettima said.
Nigeria is projected to become one of the most populous countries in the world, with young people forming the majority.
The foundation noted that providing young people with digital tools, platforms for innovation, and opportunities to participate in civic processes would help unlock their potential and drive national progress.
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Mr Shettima noted the ingenuity of young people whose breakthroughs cut across tech and entertainment.
“Young people are also reimagining civic engagement, pioneering new forms of organisations and activism on issues such as clean energy, climate change, democracy, transparency, accountability, and sexual and gender-based violence,” he said.
“We are a young nation with 60 per cent of the population under the age of 30, and 42 per cent under 15 years old. While we recognise the challenges facing young people, we believe focusing solely on problems is not conducive to our goals, so we intentionally chose to view youth as assets.”
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