NextBillion - A WDI Publication

Abdullahi Ibrahim (Acting Manager, Programmes & MERL, LEAP Africa) is a development professional with nearly a decade of experience supporting evidence-driven programme design, strategy and youth development initiatives in Nigeria. His work spans baseline assessments, mid-term evaluations and third-party monitoring across youth employment, skills development, health and entrepreneurship programmes, including the Lafiya Programme, the Skills and Placement Project, the MERL Fellowship Programme at Jobberman Nigeria, the Mastercard Foundation Associate Programme at LEAP Africa, and the TAFTA Project under the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Strategy. Abdullahi has contributed to several applied research studies and co-authored reports such as How Do Young People Survive Without Jobs?, the Informal Sector Study, the Gender Barriers in Nigeria’s Labour Market Report, and the Creative Sector Skills Gap Report. A Fellow of the French Research Institute in Nigeria and a Financial Inclusion Research Fellow at EFInA, his work focuses on generating practical insights that bridge evidence gaps and strengthen policies and systems affecting young people across Africa.