The MacArthur Foundation has launched a new initiative, “Nigeria Next”, aimed at empowering young Nigerians and positioning them as key drivers of the country’s future. The programme signals a shift towards deeper investment in youth, with a strong focus on digital inclusion, innovation, economic opportunity, and civic participation.
Building on its previous “On Nigeria” project, which ran from 2016 to 2024, the foundation is now placing young people at the centre of its strategy. While the earlier initiative focused on strengthening accountability, governance, and transparency, this new phase recognises that sustainable national development will depend largely on how well young Nigerians are equipped to lead and participate in shaping the country.
According to the foundation, “Nigeria Next” will deploy a mix of grants, impact investments, and thought leadership to address long-standing barriers that limit young people’s access to digital tools and opportunities. It will also support the development of an innovation ecosystem that allows ideas to grow into scalable solutions, while encouraging policies grounded in research and evidence.
The foundation explained that the initiative is not being implemented in isolation. “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,” it said. This collaborative approach is expected to strengthen impact and ensure that different sectors contribute to youth development.
Before launching the programme, the foundation undertook extensive consultations to understand the realities facing young Nigerians. Its team travelled across several parts of the country, engaging with communities in cities such as Kafanchan, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Bauchi, Maiduguri, Abuja, Kano, and Lagos. These discussions helped shape the direction of the initiative.
“We reached out deliberately to communities across the hinterland and coastal cities… Our intent was to listen to a broad range of voices,” the foundation noted. From these engagements, key themes emerged around technology, civic participation, and the role of media in shaping youth engagement.
The Director of MacArthur’s Nigeria Office, Kole Shettima, said the initiative is designed to harness the creativity and energy of young Nigerians. He stressed that young people are not just beneficiaries but essential contributors to national progress.
“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,” he said.
Nigeria’s demographic reality makes this focus even more urgent. With about 60 per cent of the population under the age of 30, the country’s future is closely tied to how well its youth are supported. The foundation believes that providing access to innovation platforms and encouraging civic engagement will unlock this potential.
Shettima also pointed to the growing influence of young Nigerians across sectors, particularly in technology and entertainment. Beyond that, he noted their evolving role in civic life. “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.
Rather than focusing only on challenges, the initiative deliberately frames young Nigerians as assets. This perspective underpins “Nigeria Next”, positioning youth not as passive recipients of support, but as active drivers of change in the country’s development journey.
