The Cross River Youth Empowerment Scheme has announced plans to train at least 20,000 youths across the state in various entrepreneurship and skills development programmes aimed at promoting self-reliance and economic inclusion.
The chairman of the scheme said the initiative is designed to equip young people with practical skills aligned with their individual strengths and interests, while opening pathways into income-generating activities across multiple sectors of the state’s economy.
According to him, the programme is structured around seven key industries, including agriculture, the creative sector, sports, transportation, skill acquisition, small-scale businesses, and education. The goal, he said, is to prepare participants for sustainable livelihoods rather than short-term interventions.
In the agricultural component, youths will receive hands-on training in areas such as poultry, piggery, fishery and crop cultivation. Participants are also expected to receive start-up support, including farm inputs, basic equipment and funding, to enable them to put their skills into practice.
Beyond agriculture, the scheme will train youths in the creative industry, covering areas such as cinematography, scriptwriting, directing, production and acting. The chairman said the creative sector is a key part of the state’s broader economic vision, particularly in positioning Calabar as a stronger destination for film, tourism and cultural enterprise.
He noted that small-scale businesses form a critical part of the programme, as empowering youths to start and grow micro and small enterprises will help strengthen the local economy and create jobs within communities.
The chairman said the state government remains fully committed to the success of the scheme, describing youth development as a core pillar of the current administration’s development agenda. According to him, the programme reflects the government’s focus on people-centred growth and long-term economic empowerment for young people in Cross River State.
