Frank Ikpefan in this report examines the prospects of the President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for job creation using the vehicle of the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), an initiative being implemented by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha
One of the 8-point agenda of President Bola Tinubu is employment and job creation. Little wonder when the President stood before the nation on 1st October, 2024 and declared the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme, LEEP’s ambition to create 2.5 million jobs annually, it was more than a political pledge, it was the unveiling of a radical reimagining of what governance could achieve.
But behind those numbers, beyond the assuring pronouncements, is the untold story of a minister who treats policy like a master craftsman treats raw material: with patience, precision, and an unshakable belief in what could be forged from what is.
In a nation where the weight of unemployment continues to be a major concern for those in authority, where millions of skilled and unskilled hands lie idle while the machinery of progress stutters, one woman moves with the quiet determination of a river reshaping its banks.
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Labour and Employment, does not merely occupy an office, she wages a silent war against inertia, armed not with rhetoric but with something far more potent: a blueprint. The Labour, Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP) is her weapon of choice, and in its meticulous architecture lies the promise of a revolution.
Onyejeocha’s Abuja office hums with an energy unusual for government quarters. Here, data streams in real-time from across every part of the country and the world, each updating a pulse point in the living organism that LEEP has become. On another, a blinking map lights up with geolocated apprentices—young Nigerians paired with master craftsmen through algorithms that would make Silicon Valley pause.
In a nation where unemployment has long clung like a shadow, refusing to loosen its grip, the LEEP has come as a better alternative to solving unemployment challenges in the country, a meticulously crafted intervention that is nothing short of a renaissance for Nigeria’s workforce.
Under the visionary stewardship of Onyejeocha, LEEP transcends the tired trope of bureaucratic initiatives; it is a symphony of innovation, ambition, and pragmatism, designed to arm Nigerians with the arsenal of skills, opportunities, and structural support needed not just to survive but to flourish.
At its core, LEEP is orchestrating a digital revolution, one keystroke at a time. The LEEP Digital Academy stands as a citadel of modern education, where legions of young Nigerians are mastering the alchemy of artificial intelligence, data science, and software development. This is no mere classroom exercise; it is a launchpad into the stratosphere of the global gig economy, where graduates, armed with the in-demand expertise, are securing lucrative remote positions with international firms, their earnings in foreign currencies. The digital divide is narrowing, and Nigeria’s tech-savvy youths are staking their claim in the digital gold rush created by Onyejeocha.
For those whose talents lie in the tangible, the Vocational and Entrepreneurship Programme (VEP) is redefining dignity in labour. Carpentry, solar installation, fashion design, these are no longer mere trades but thriving enterprises, polished to a high sheen by LEEP’s dual offering of rigorous training and seed capital in the form of starter kits. The ripple effect is palpable: once-idle hands are now crafting businesses, and beneficiaries are evolving from job seekers to employers, their workshops humming with productivity, their success stories stitching together the fabric of local economies.
Perhaps one of LEEP’s most revolutionary strokes is the National Electronic Labour Exchange (NELEX), a digital colossus that will shatter the archaic gatekeeping of Nigeria’s job market. Gone are the days when opportunity was the exclusive preserve of the well-connected; NELEX’s algorithmic precision matches skill to demand with an almost poetic fairness, levelling the terrain so that merit, not patronage, dictates employment. It is a silent but seismic shift, one that promises to dismantle the scaffolding of nepotism brick by brick.
Then there are the Job Fairs, bustling marketplaces of talent where ambition and opportunity collide. These grand assemblies from the commercial heartbeat of Lagos to the industrious sprawl of Kano would become theatres of instant transformation, where CVs are exchanged for contracts, and aspirations crystallise into paychecks. Employers in tech, manufacturing, and beyond are discovering a reservoir of ready talent, while fresh graduates step into roles that serve as the proverbial first rung on the ladder to professional ascension.
Yet LEEP’s ambition stretches beyond mere employment—it is cultivating a cultural metamorphosis, a renewed veneration for Nigerian ingenuity. By championing local content and tethering small businesses to viable markets, the programme is not just stimulating industry but rekindling a collective pride in homegrown enterprise. The result: a slow but steady retreat from import dependency, and a nation learning to reap what it sows.
What truly sets LEEP apart, however, isn’t just its ambition but its architecture- a system designed to outlive political cycles. The blockchain-powered tracking ensures every naira spent can be accounted for, every training module tied to actual employment outcomes. The mobile skills caravans that reach into Nigeria’s remotest corners carry not just tools but a message: that opportunity should be a right, not a privilege of geography. And then there are the unanticipated ripple effects, the small businesses started by LEEP graduates in Abeokuta now employing others, the tech freelancers in Uyo earning in dollars while their families sleep under the same roofs that once housed only want. Its unerring focus on humanity.
Speaking a public forum, an elated Onyejeocha who shares in President Tinubu’s vision enthroning a culture of constructive social dialogue and promoting decent working conditions in Nigeria, fair and equitable work environment for Nigerian workers, emphasised that food security, job creation, poverty alleviation, and social cohesion, are also other very focus of the President’s target in line with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister further showcased Nigeria’s progress in implementing international labour standards, promoting social justice, and boosting national productivity through the recent launch of the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), aimed at creating jobs and equipping youth with entrepreneurship skills.
“The efforts of the government towards promoting entrepreneurship will revamp Nigeria’s economy and reposition it on the path of steady growth, enhance job creation, and reduce unemployment and insecurity,” she said.
Prelude to LEEP launch
Last December, upbeat about LEEP, had dropped a hint of the planned execution of the lofty ideals and ideas of the job creation initiative.
In a statement, the minister revealed that she was part of the steering committee for the launching of the Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP) under the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in the coming weeks.
“As you may recall, we had a pre-launch event earlier this year (2024) with our development partners, both local and international. I am grateful that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu saw the value in our proposal and gave his approval. Our goal is to transform the lives of Nigerians by providing them with meaningful skills and employment opportunities.
“As I reflect on my tenure, I am driven by a sense of purpose and a desire to leave a lasting legacy. Having experienced life at the grassroots, I am deeply aware of the harsh realities of poverty. This understanding fuels my determination to make a meaningful impact.
“We are not just launching a programme; we are embarking on a transformative journey. Our approach is designed to yield tangible results, not just empty promises. Our approach is holistic, focusing on creating jobs, upskilling our workforce, and providing entrepreneurial training.
“We are establishing production hubs across the country, where our graduates can produce goods and services that meet global standards. We are also leveraging technology to enhance digital literacy and promote remote work opportunities.
“Through LEEP, we aim to create millions of jobs annually and reduce the unemployment rate by 50% every year. We are committed to making a tangible impact on the lives of Nigerians, and we are excited to finally get started.”
Moment of decision
Thus on Tuesday, 15th April, the Federal Government will herald a new chapter in Nigeria’s labour ecosystem with the main official launch of the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP) in Abuja. This landmark initiative, a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is set to unleash a wave of opportunities, empowering citizens across the five strategic pillars of the programme.
Expectedly, Onyejeocha, the initiator, framed LEEP as more than policy, “it is a covenant with the Nigerian people.”
She said the initiative would mark a defining moment in the nation’s collective pursuit of economic revitalisation.
“The launch of this initiative underscores our unwavering commitment to fostering inclusive growth, equipping Nigerians with cutting-edge skills, unlocking entrepreneurial pathways, and bridging the divide between talent and global opportunity.
“This is not merely a programme; it is a pledge to nurture potential, ignite ambition, and forge a workforce capable of commanding respect on the world stage.”
With the weight of conviction, the Minister emphasised LEEP’s role as a catalyst for systemic change: “We stand at the precipice of a new era—one where unemployment retreats before the march of innovation, where skill gaps dissolve into expertise, and where every Nigerian, regardless of background, can claim their rightful place in the economy. The tools are now in your hands. Seize them. Let us write this next chapter together—empowering individuals, uplifting communities, and propelling Nigeria toward prosperity.”
As anticipation builds for Tuesday’s launch, the message resounds clear: LEEP is the embodiment of a nation betting on itself.
As LEEP gathers momentum, it is clear that this is not another experiment but a movement, a rewriting of Nigeria’s economic narrative. With each skill acquired, each job secured, each business birthed, the programme is proving a universal truth: where preparation and opportunity converge, transformation is not a matter of chance, but of certainty.
For millions, LEEP is more than a scheme; it is the golden thread in the web of a brighter future. And if the present is promising, the future, undoubtedly, is luminous. The jobs are coming, yes. But something far more valuable is being forged alongside them, a new narrative of what’s possible because Onyejeocha refuses to settle for less.
Besides LEEP, from available information, President Tinubu’s administration has designed programmes that will catalyse youth employment, enhance their capability, and harness their ingenuity, creativity, and talents for better productivity.
These programmes, including 3MTT, NATEP, LEEP, IDiCE, NiYA, and the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund, designed to create over 10 million new jobs for young people.
