Tripoint Travels has unveiled an internship programme designed to tackle youth unemployment in Nigeria, one of the country’s most pressing economic and social challenges.
The six-month initiative, known as the Tripoint Academy Internship Programme, combines practical business training with personal development and is aimed at producing a new generation of intrapreneur-employees who bring entrepreneurial thinking into organisations.
The first cohort graduated in Lagos at the weekend. Of the seven interns who took part, three have already secured full-time jobs with Tripoint Travels, while others are under consideration by partner companies.
Managing Director of Tripoint Travels and founder of Tripoint Academy, Shuhda Muhammed, said the scheme was conceived to bridge the gap between academic education and workplace readiness.
“I came to the realisation, being an entrepreneur myself and running Tripoint Travels, that we need to have good employees,” Muhammed said in an email on Tuesday.
“What that means is, we need intrapreneurs in our organisations for us to be able to grow, scale up and thrive in any industry. One of the biggest challenges we face as entrepreneurs is employment and employability, because most of the youths out there are already educated but not job-ready.”
Muhammed described the internship as more than a training exercise, calling it “the start of a movement” that could be replicated by other organisations to address Nigeria’s persistent skills gap.
“We’ve shown that it can work. Now imagine the impact on the economy if more companies across Nigeria adopt this approach,” she added.
Managing Director of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, Dr. Olawale Anifowose, said Tripoint’s model “confronts one of the biggest challenges businesses face, which is talent management and finding the right people to work within their company. By equipping young people with practical skills, they are setting an example other organisations should follow.”
One of the programme’s graduates, Taiwo Fapohunda, said the experience had given him a new perspective on his career.
“It has been an eye-opener that has shifted me to become a better person. With the skills and confidence I have gained, I know I can grow and contribute meaningfully in the world of aviation and beyond.”
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, faces rising levels of youth unemployment and underemployment, with millions of graduates entering a labour market that struggles to absorb them. The National Bureau of Statistics estimates that youth unemployment hovers in double digits, a situation economists warn could stifle growth and fuel social unrest.
Tripoint Travels is urging entrepreneurs, corporates and institutions to adopt similar programmes as a way to expand the pool of employable young Nigerians.
“This is just the beginning,” Muhammed said. “We hope to see this model scaled across industries to build a stronger workforce and reduce unemployment nationwide.”
