One Young World 2025 Enterprising Futures Scholarship for Young Nigerians
By 2030, it is estimated that over 2 billion young individuals will be seeking employment and opportunities, highlighting underemployment and job scarcity as major socio-economic and security challenges of our time.
Youth unemployment has been directly associated with feelings of exclusion, anxiety, and despair, and at its extreme, can lead to poverty, violent extremism, political instability, and crime. Addressing this growing issue is critical to building a peaceful, sustainable, and equitable future. Local entrepreneurs play a crucial role in tackling these challenges by creating jobs and offering employment opportunities to young people within their communities.
The importance of young entrepreneurs is particularly pronounced in fragile and conflict-affected regions. Under such circumstances, young people often turn to entrepreneurship as a means to create opportunities for themselves and their communities. Their ability to navigate uncertainty, often stemming from fragile ecosystems, serves as a powerful foundation for new ideas and innovative approaches. Notably, digital and social innovations have emerged as key tools for young people to adapt to rapidly changing conditions in the workforce.
Recognising the significance of these efforts, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is dedicated to investing in education and youth employment. The ministry aims to improve prospects for young individuals, particularly in developing and fragile states, by bridging the gap between the skills young people acquire and the demands of the labour market.
To further these goals, the Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO), on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), is proud to introduce its annual scholarship in collaboration with One Young World. This initiative provides young leaders and entrepreneurs from these countries with the opportunity to attend the annual One Young World Summit.
The One Young World Summit 2025, set to take place in Munich, will bring together 2,000 young leaders from over 190 countries. During the event, delegates will present and discuss solutions to the most critical issues of our era alongside senior leaders. This summit offers young entrepreneurs an unparalleled platform to engage, expand on successful projects, and connect with other changemakers worldwide.
Benefits of One Young World Enterprising Futures Scholarship
Enterprising Futures Scholars will receive:
Access to additional events organised by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Access to the One Young World Summit 2025, taking place from 3-6 November in Munich, Germany.
Hotel accommodation during the Summit dates.
One night of hotel accommodation (if required) for the visa application process
Additional night pre-summit (if needed).
The cost of travel to and from the host city of the Summit (flights in economy).
Domestic travel costs to the airport to take the international flight (flight in economy).
Travel to the visa application process (if required).
Visa costs, if applicable (including visa costs and required travel for visa appointment).
Catering which includes breakfast at the hotel accommodation and lunch and dinner at the Summit.
Transport between the Summit accommodation and the Summit venue.
Lifetime membership to the OYW community.
Requirements for One Young World Enterprising Futures Scholarship
Candidates must be:
Aged 18 – 35 by the date of the One Young World 2025 Summit in November.
Actively engaged in the fields of youth employment and job creation, either as entrepreneurs or in a similar role (and be able to demonstrate this).
Nationals of and residents in one of the following countries: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq including Kurdistan region of Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda. Please note that candidates with refugee status are certainly eligible.
All candidates will be required to have a working understanding of English, as both the One Young World Summit and Enterprising Futures pre- and post-programmes will be held in English.
Candidates must be available to join the programme full-time between 2 – 7 November, as well as pre- and post-programme dates.
The Dutch MFA values an inclusive and diverse environment. The Dutch MFA encourages all young entrepreneurs (rural-urban) that are eligible to apply (no matter race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion, or education).
Selection Process
Expectations of Selected Scholars
Previous Enterprise for Peace Scholars have helped conduct eco-system mappings, given advice on new initiatives and have been invited to share their experience in various other events organised by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Corners or its partners. As the Dutch MFA and would like to broaden its network of young role models and entrepreneurs in Africa and the Middle East, please note that when you have been selected to receive a scholarship, your contact details might be shared with Dutch embassies in the eligible countries. The Dutch MFA asks for the active participation of the selected candidates throughout the programme.
