Oando Foundation has opened applications for the next cohort of its Green Youth Upskilling Programme (GYUP), expanding efforts to prepare young Nigerians for emerging opportunities in the country’s growing green economy.
The initiative follows the completion of the programme’s inaugural cohort, which trained 25 young Nigerians and awarded N20 million in seed funding to top-performing participants to support the launch of green-focused businesses.
Implemented in partnership with the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, the nine-month programme is designed to provide technical and entrepreneurial skills in sectors including renewable energy, waste management and sustainable mobility.
According to Oando Foundation, the expanded cohort will also introduce additional focus areas such as electric vehicle maintenance, reflecting rising investment and policy attention around clean energy and sustainable transport solutions in Nigeria and across Africa.
“Nigeria’s development trajectory will increasingly depend on how effectively we equip young people with skills that align with emerging sectors,” said Tonia Uduimoh.
“The green economy presents a clear opportunity, but unlocking it requires deliberate investment in talent pipelines like this.”
The programme comes amid accelerating global demand for green skills as governments and businesses increase investments in climate-focused industries. The International Energy Agency projects that the transition to a low-carbon economy could create up to 30 million jobs globally by 2030, while the World Economic Forum has identified green skills among the fastest-growing areas of workforce demand.
Oando said participants in the first cohort progressed through technical training, apprenticeship placements and enterprise development support, with selected entrepreneurs receiving equipment and performance-based funding to scale their ventures.
Successful applicants for the new cohort will receive technical training, mentorship, internships and access to potential funding opportunities tied to programme performance.
The Foundation said the initiative is intended to support workforce development and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to participate in the global energy transition while addressing youth unemployment.
Eligible applicants must be Nigerian citizens aged between 18 and 35 with at least a secondary school education and a demonstrated interest in technical or green-economy sectors.
Applications are open nationwide through the programme portal at GYUP application portal.