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Advancing NiYA: Youth Minister Strengthens Tinubu’s Vision Through International Ties

Published

4 months ago

July 10, 2025

Joel Ajayi

In continuation of the Federal Government’s commitment to equipping young Nigerians for the demands of the global digital economy, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, has embarked on a strategic mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), forging key international partnerships to advance youth innovation, enterprise, and digital capacity-building.

During a high-level engagement with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), a leading institution in youth enterprise and innovation, the Minister explored areas of collaboration in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA).

The initiative aims to empower over 7 million young Nigerians with digital skills, entrepreneurial training, civic leadership development, and access to international opportunities.

“We are building bridges between Nigerian youth and global innovation ecosystems. Sheraa’s mission to nurture talent aligns perfectly with our goal of unlocking the creative and entrepreneurial potential of our young people,” the Minister stated.

In a landmark development, the Minister announced a strategic partnership with GITEX Global, one of the world’s foremost technology and innovation platforms. From September 1st to 4th, 2025, Nigeria will host a GITEX-powered National Digital Innovation Showcase, designed to spotlight the creativity and ingenuity of Nigerian youth on a global stage.

Through this initiative, 300 high-potential Nigerian startups will be selected for global visibility, access to international markets, and targeted support for growth and scale.

This effort is in close collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), under the leadership of its Director-General, Dr. Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, who joined the Minister during the engagements.

Highlighting the domestic rollout of NiYA, the Minister noted that over 210,000 young Nigerians have already been onboarded. Green House Centres are being established across all 774 Local Government Areas nationwide, providing structured training, enterprise support, and access to emerging technologies.

In addition, a GITEX Youth Local Showcase Series – Powered by NiYA is being developed to create a sustained pipeline of Nigerian talent into global platforms such as GITEX Africa and GITEX Global, further integrating Nigeria into the international innovation ecosystem.

The visit also included a strategic meeting with His Excellency Omar Al Olama, UAE Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications. Discussions focused on collaborative opportunities in AI education, business process outsourcing (BPO), startup incubation, and remote work innovations, sectors critical to youth employment and digital transformation in Nigeria.

“The future belongs to those who innovate. Our mission is to position Nigerian youth as creators, not just consumers, in the global digital economy,” the Minister affirmed. “We are laying the foundation for a generation of leaders who will define Africa’s tech-driven future.”

These engagements reinforce the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to building strategic global partnerships that will provide Nigerian youth with the tools, platforms, and networks required to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

“To every young Nigerian innovator, tech founder, designer, and change-maker: your time is now. The world is paying attention, and Nigeria is ready,” the Minister concluded.

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Imo Auto Parts Dealer Runs Abroad to Escape Bandit Attacks

Published

39 mins ago

November 3, 2025

The Gleamer

An automobile parts dealer, Mr Ifeanyi Kingsley Iwuagwu, has fled Nigeria to save his life after a series of deadly attacks by bandits on his community in Imo State.

Iwuagwu, who left the country in January this year, said he was forced to seek refuge abroad following repeated violent raids that claimed several lives and left properties in ruins.

The young entrepreneur, a native of the Okigwe axis of Imo State, recounted how relentless assaults by armed men transformed his once peaceful village into a war zone. “I had no choice but to leave,” he told AljazirahNigeria Newspapers. “It became a matter of life and death. Remaining there would have meant waiting for the next attack.”

As the only son of an aged mother who depends entirely on him for her welfare, Iwuagwu said leaving her behind was the most agonising decision he has ever made. His mother now lives in constant fear and uncertainty.

“It breaks my heart to be far from her,” he lamented. “But I had to leave to stay alive, with the hope of bringing her to safety one day.”

In recent years, many residents of rural communities in Imo State have faced escalating threats from bandits and criminal gangs, forcing some to abandon their homes and even seek refuge overseas.

For Iwuagwu, the decisive moment came on 20 November 2024, when his shop in Amiagbo, Nwangele Local Government Area, was looted and set ablaze. “That was the day I finally decided to follow the path of some of my colleagues who had already fled abroad,” he explained. “There is no safe place in Nigeria anymore. We keep hearing reports of kidnappings, banditry, herdsmen invasions, and terrorist attacks across all six geopolitical zones—no one knows where will be next.”

Security experts and community leaders have continued to urge the government to provide greater protection for defenceless communities and address the root causes of insecurity in the South East.

For Iwuagwu, survival remains his foremost concern. “All I want is peace and the chance to live without fear,” he said. “No one should have to abandon their home just to stay alive.”

The South-East geopolitical region of Nigeria has in recent years become a flashpoint of violence, with numerous deaths and widespread destruction of businesses and property. Many residents have fled their ancestral lands in search of both safety and livelihoods.

According to Amnesty International, approximately 1,844 people were killed in the South East by both state and non-state actors between January 2021 and June 2023.

The organisation’s Director, Isa Sanusi, disclosed this during the presentation of a report and campaign launch against insecurity in the region, titled “A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South East”, held on 7 October.

Many Nigerians are now placing renewed hope in the recently appointed service chiefs by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, praying that their tenure will bring lasting peace and restore public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.

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