Unilever, UNICEF’S FUCAP initiative equips 900,000 Nigerians

Unilever, UNICEF’S FUCAP initiative equips 900,000 Nigerians with future-ready skills

L-R: Communication Officer, the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF), Blessing Ejiofor; Head Communications and Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Zainab Obagun; Managing Director, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Tobi Adeniyi; Chief Of UNICEF, Lagos Office/Lead, Generation Unlimited Nigeria, Celine Lafoucriere; Skills Development Specialist, UNICEF Generation Unlimited Nigeria, Bharat Kundra and Partnership Specialist UNICEF Nigeria, Ochuko Ege during a press briefing for the FUCAP initiative organised by Unilever Nigeria in partnership with UNICEF and held at Unilever’s Learning Centre in Lagos recently.

By Zika Bobby

The Future-X Unilever Campus Ambassadors Programme (FUCAP), a collaborative initiative between Unilever Nigeria Plc and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has equipped over 900,000 young Nigerians with essential employability, digital and entrepreneurial skills.

Now in its third year, the partnership leverages a robust digital-physical ecosystem. It utilises UNICEF’s YOMA platform alongside Unilever’s social media and higher education networks to prepare the next generation for the evolving world of work.

As a founding global partner of Generation Unlimited (GenU), a public-private alliance chaired in Nigeria by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Unilever’s commitment reflects a high-level national priority toward youth development and economic transformation.

Speaking at a press conference, Tobi Adeniyi, Managing Director of Unilever Nigeria, highlighted the programme’s unique reach.

“FUCAP is a proven model that blends government leadership, UNICEF’s development expertise and Unilever’s purpose-led ambition. By combining digital learning with on-campus engagement, we have impacted over 85,000 students through 30 physical career seminars across universities and polytechnics,” he said.

Adeniyi said the programme aligns with Unilever’s sustainability goals of improving livelihoods and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We are deliberately investing in scalable platforms that allow young Nigerians to transition confidently from learning to earning,” he added.

Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of UNICEF Lagos Office and Lead for Generation Unlimited Nigeria, noted that FUCAP is now active in 20 universities, effectively bridging the gap between academia and industry.

“Over the last two and a half years, we have focused on bringing real-world knowledge directly to students. Through this partnership, we are strengthening an ecosystem that creates clear pathways into employment and entrepreneurship,” she stated.

She said FUCAP continues to serve as a vital link for Nigerian youth, providing the future-fit skills necessary to thrive in a competitive global economy.

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