Minister Reviews Youth-Focused Presidential Priorities at Mid-Term Retreat
… NYIF to Prioritise Women and Youth with Disabilities – Olawande
The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians through innovative programmes, inclusive policies, and strategic partnerships.
Speaking at the 2025 Mid-Term Review Retreat on Presidential Priorities and Deliverables in Abuja, Olawande presented the Ministry’s performance report, noting that several second-quarter targets had been surpassed.
According to him, the Ministry trained 14,509 youth in digital skills (target: 10,000), engaged 97,212 in mentorship and career development (target: 80,000), and trained 5,023 in crime reduction and peace-building (target: 2,500). In addition, more than 250,000 youths enrolled in the Nigerian Youth Academy, while 5,700 HelpDesk cases were processed, with 3,407 resolved. Youth Centres also generated ₦31.6 million, nearly triple the ₦11 million target.
The Minister further announced that a dedicated window of the National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) will specifically support women and youth with disabilities, backed by partnerships with women’s groups, disability organisations, and the private sector, with clear performance indicators in place.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gutier Migot, reaffirmed the EU’s 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 also highlighted ongoing EU-backed projects such as the D SAFE Project (with UNFPA), the Nigeria Jubilee Fellowship Programme, Digital Transformation Centres, and the EU Agricultural Value Chain Facility, while praising the resilience of Nigerian youth.
Declaring the retreat open, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, described it as a strategic moment for reflection and renewed commitment. He said the Ministry is focused on strengthening coordination, improving performance management, building staff capacity, and developing flexible, sustainable structures.
In his goodwill message, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, commended the Minister’s vision and outlined NYSC’s contributions. These include 56,013 corps members trained in digital skills (with 2,920 women benefiting through a partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre), 385,461 corps members engaged in SAED since June 2023, and 1,118 supported to start businesses. He reaffirmed NYSC’s commitment to partnerships that drive youth empowerment and national development.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), Ms. Rinsola Abiola, said the retreat offered a timely opportunity to align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Stressing that Nigeria’s future depends on nurturing responsible, patriotic, and ethical youth, she pledged CLTC’s continued collaboration and urged participants to generate innovative ideas to advance youth policy and the vision of “Build the Youth, Build the Nation.”
ADEOLA KUNLE
