Programme d’appui au développement de l’emploi et l’employabilité des jeunes et des femmes dans les régions de Dosso, Niamey et Zinder

Context 

Niger's population is estimated at 24.12 million (2021). In terms of employment, the active population is marked by a proportion of young people (15–35 years) "neither in employment, nor in education, nor in training (NEET)" of 70.24% in 2017. This rate is 80.86% for women and 75.37% for youth living in rural areas. In a worrying security, health and climate context, the challenges to be met in terms of training and employment are thus major in the country.

The NIG/028 programme is part of the fourth Indicative Cooperation Programme (ICP) signed between Niger and Luxembourg for the period 2022–2026. In line with the orientations of national policies and strategies and the general strategy of Luxembourg Cooperation, the NIG/028 programme supports the development of employment and employability of youth and women in the regions of Dosso, Niamey and Zinder.

Overall goal

The overall goal of the NIG/028 programme is “to contribute to the improvement of the living conditions, in priority, of youth and women in the regions of Dosso, Niamey and Zinder, and to their full participation in the socio-economic development of Niger in their community”.

Specific goal

The specific goal of the program is that the creation of jobs for young people aged 15–35 and women in the regions of Dosso, Niamey, and Zinder in the priority value chains of ICP 4 (ASP-H, housing and construction, EHA, and NICT) increases.

Project intervention strategy

NIG/028's vision of change is based on the development of a viable, growth-generating economic fabric that creates jobs for young people and women, thus highlighting the need to take into account the interdependence between job offer and demand.

The beneficiaries are young people aged 15–35 and women (of all ages) but also micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) as well as cooperatives with growth potential ("champions") that can develop in particular through the integration of young people and women from or engaged in qualification processes.

To achieve these goals, interventions are organised around two outcomes:

• decent wage employment for youth aged 15–35 and women in the regions of Dosso, Niamey and Zinder increases in the growth-generating value chains;  
• self-employment among youth aged 15–35 and women in the regions of Dosso, Niamey and Zinder is increasing in the growth-generating value chains.  

The aspect of financing/access to credit for "champions" cooperatives as well as for youth/women will be developed jointly with the support of the programme for the development of financial inclusion (PADIF, NIG/032), under the coordination of the non-governmental organisation Appui au développement autonome (ADA).

Finally, gender, capacity building, and environment and climate change are cross-cutting aspects that will be given special attention throughout the programme implementation.

Placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance, the programme will be implemented by a multitude of national and local partners in charge of training, structuring investments and support/advice to youth, women, MSMEs/cooperatives under the coordination of the Regional Councils of Dosso and Zinder and the City Council of Niamey.