The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering young Nigerians through innovative programmes, inclusive policies, and strategic partnerships. Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, gave the assurance while presenting the Ministry’s performance report at the 2025 Mid-Term Review of Presidential Priorities and Deliverables held in Abuja.
Olawande revealed that the Ministry has surpassed several second-quarter targets set under the presidential priorities programme. A total of 14,509 youth were trained in digital skills against the target of 10,000; 97,212 engaged in mentorship and career development programmes (target: 80,000); and 5,023 were trained in crime reduction and peace-building, exceeding the target of 2,500. Over 250,000 youths have also been enrolled in the Nigerian Youth Academy, while the Ministry processed 5,700 HelpDesk cases, resolving 3,407. Additionally, N31.6 million was generated from Youth Centres, well above the N11 million target.
He further announced that a dedicated window of the National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) will support women and youth with disabilities. This will be complemented by new partnerships with women’s groups, disability organisations, and the private sector, backed by clear performance indicators to ensure measurable impact.
The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gutier Migot, reaffirmed the EU’s strong partnership with the Ministry, commending its leadership and past collaborations, including the 2021 National Youth Conference and the 2024 CSO Stakeholders’ Forum, which shaped the new National Youth Action Plan. He highlighted ongoing EU-supported initiatives such as the D SAFE Project (with UNFPA), the Nigeria Jubilee Fellowship Programme, Digital Transformation Centres, and the EU Agricultural Value Chain Facility.
Declaring the retreat open, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, described the gathering as a strategic moment for reflection and renewed commitment to performance and coordination.
Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, commended the Minister’s vision, noting NYSC’s role in youth empowerment. Since June 2023, 56,013 corps members have been trained in digital skills, including 2,920 women through a partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre. A total of 385,461 corps members participated in the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, with 1,118 supported to establish businesses.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), Ms. Rinsola Abiola, stressed the importance of nurturing responsible and ethical youth to align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. She reaffirmed CLTC’s commitment to collaboration and urged participants to contribute innovative ideas that will shape youth development policies and strengthen national growth.
