The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Africa Projects Development Centre (APDC) to revitalize Youth Development Centres across the country, as part of renewed efforts to reposition youth facilities for skills acquisition, innovation and national development.
The MoU signing ceremony, held in Abuja, marks a strategic partnership focused on the rehabilitation, equipping and optimal utilisation of youth centres to empower young Nigerians with vocational, digital and entrepreneurial skills.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to youth empowerment, job creation and sustainable development.
He noted that many youth centres nationwide have suffered prolonged neglect and explained that the partnership with APDC would introduce technical expertise, private sector efficiency and innovative funding models to restore them to functional standards.
The minister described the collaboration as a shared commitment to building a sustainable and inclusive youth development framework, adding that the partnership would cover project design, training and capacity building, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and resource mobilisation.
According to him, the initiative seeks to transform existing youth centres into modern training and incubation hubs delivering vocational, technical, digital and entrepreneurial skills aligned with high-demand sectors, while also serving as platforms for innovation, mentorship and market access.
Olawande added that the programme would strengthen the ministry’s capacity in donor engagement, project implementation and results-based monitoring and evaluation, ensuring measurable impact and value for money.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Maryam Ismaila Kenshiro, described the partnership as a strategic step towards strengthening youth development structures and expanding opportunities for young Nigerians.
She said the collaboration would focus on converting existing youth centres into functional training and incubation facilities tailored to current labour market demands.
Dr Kenshiro added that APDC brings proven expertise in project design, capacity building and youth incubation, which will complement the ministry’s mandate and enhance programme delivery, monitoring and evaluation.
She said the MoU also provides a framework for joint resource mobilisation, including engagement with development banks and strategic partners, to ensure sustainability and measurable impact.
Earlier, the Managing Director of APDC, Dr Chiji Ojukwu, said the partnership was the product of sustained engagement and a shared vision to scale youth empowerment programmes nationwide.
He disclosed that APDC has empowered over 9,000 youths and women through programmes in agriculture, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, environmental sustainability and the creative sector.
Ojukwu said the partnership would support national expansion, strengthen resource mobilisation and promote evidence-based youth policy development for sustainable impact.
Elijah Adeyemi
