10,000 Youths, Women to Be Trained in Agriculture, Creative Industry Across Niger State

As part of a major initiative to enhance human capital development, 10,000 youths and women between the ages of 18 and 35 across...

As part of a major initiative to enhance human capital development, 10,000 youths and women between the ages of 18 and 35 across Niger State are set to be trained in agriculture, the creative industry, and other sectors.

The programme falls under the Transforming Nigerian Youth Project, a collaborative effort between the Programmes and Partnerships Unit of the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) at Pan-Atlantic University, the Mastercard Foundation, and the Niger State Government.

Receiving a delegation from the Enterprise Development Centre at Government House, Minna, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago lauded the initiative, describing it as a crucial step toward empowering the state's young population.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to partnering with development organizations to train youths, women, and persons with disabilities. He added that the state government is prepared to scale up the number of beneficiaries in the near future.

Leader of the delegation and Director of Programmes and Partnerships at the EDC, Dr. Olawale Anifowose, revealed that the Centre is currently training 50 Nigerlites to be certified as Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs). These BDSPs will, in turn, train the 10,000 target beneficiaries across the state.

Dr. Anifowose commended Governor Bago for the pace of development in the state and for supporting the Centre’s efforts to achieve its training objectives.

He further disclosed that the beneficiaries will receive the support necessary to transition from the informal to the formal sector, enabling them to showcase their products locally and internationally.

Special Adviser to the Governor on the Social Investment Programme, Hauwa Bako, described the initiative as a demonstration of the state government’s unwavering commitment to investing in its people—particularly youths and women—for long-term, sustainable development.