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FG Rallies Stakeholders to Tackle Youth Poverty and Unemployment through YEIDEP
Joel Ajayi
The Federal Government has brought together key stakeholders to confront the pressing challenges of poverty, unemployment, and insecurity facing Nigerian youth through the Youth Economic Intervention and Deregulation Program (YEIDEP).
At the YEIDEP Implementation Stakeholders Retreat, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, underscored the urgent need to respond to the growing realities of economic hardship, violent extremism, crime, and antisocial behaviour among young people.
He stressed that the solution lies in providing sustainable economic opportunities especially through agriculture and its value chains to reduce unemployment and disillusionment.
The Minister urged stakeholders to take ownership of YEIDEP’s rollout by defining clear responsibilities, creating a roadmap, setting measurable timelines, and ensuring accountability at every stage.
“YEIDEP is not just another government initiative; it is a national mission essential to Nigeria’s peace, stability, and prosperity,” Comrade Olawande said. He encouraged participants to collaborate, innovate, and empower young Nigerians to embrace enterprise, resilience, and productivity.
Represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Muhammed Abdullahi, the Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working closely with partners so that YEIDEP delivers real, lasting benefits for Nigerian youth while also contributing meaningfully to national development.
Providing an update on financial partnerships, the Ministry’s Director of Finance and Accounts, Warrens Bekearadebo Augusta, announced that 9 out of 20 invited banks have officially joined YEIDEP, opening accounts, registering beneficiaries, and facilitating financial operations. She added that 3 to 4 more banks are likely to come on board once they meet the necessary requirements.
She further revealed that registration for the first tranche of beneficiaries has been completed, with over 8,000 verified participants enrolled. To manage them effectively, banks are being grouped into clusters, with monitoring frameworks, accountability measures, and timelines already established.
The YEIDEP Coordinator, Comrade Kennedy Iyere, described the programme as a “necessary revolution” for Nigeria’s survival and prosperity. Drawing from his experience across five continents and 77 nations, he emphasized that Nigeria’s struggles are not due to a lack of resources or opportunities but rather to weak political leadership in the past.
He assured stakeholders that YEIDEP is firmly committed to equipping young Nigerians with the skills, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive, empowering them to drive enterprise, strengthen resilience, and contribute significantly to national progress.
News
Nigeria at 66: ‘We Must Not Lose Faith in Nigeria’ — FCC Boss Omidiran
Joel Ajayi
The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Honorable Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, has called on Nigerians to use the occasion of the nation’s 66th Independence Anniversary to renew their faith in Nigeria, strengthen national unity and recommit themselves to building a more inclusive and prosperous country.
In her 66th Independence Day message, Hon. Omidiran described October 1 as more than a celebration of freedom, saying the anniversary provides an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the country’s journey, acknowledge its progress and challenges, and renew the collective determination to build a nation where every citizen has a sense of belonging.
According to the FCC Executive Chairman, the Federal Character Principle remains particularly important to the quest for national cohesion because equitable representation promotes a sense of ownership and confidence in the Nigerian project.
“Nigeria is a nation of great diversity and
enormous potential. Our responsibility is to ensure that this diversity becomes a bridge that connects us rather than a barrier that separates us. Every Nigerian deserves to feel that he or she belongs to this country and has a role to play in its development,” Omidiran said.
The FCC boss called on government institutions at all levels to remain committed to fairness, equity, accountability and inclusive governance, while urging citizens to support efforts aimed at strengthening national institutions and promoting peaceful coexistence.
“We must not lose faith in Nigeria. The challenges before us are real, but so are the opportunities and the enormous human and natural resources available to us. Every citizen has a responsibility to contribute his or her own quota to building the Nigeria we desire,” she stated.
The FCC Executive Chairman also urged young Nigerians to remain committed to acquiring knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship, innovation, sports and other productive ventures, describing the youth as critical stakeholders in the country’s future.
“As we celebrate 66 years of independence, let us remember that the Nigeria we want cannot be built by government alone. It requires the commitment of all of us – leaders and citizens, young and old, from every part of the federation. Together, we can build a Nigeria where justice, fairness, opportunity and peace are available to all,” she said.
Omidiran reaffirmed the FCC’s commitment to the effective discharge of its constitutional mandate and to supporting efforts that promote equitable representation and inclusive national development across the federation.
The former lawmaker wished Nigerians at home and abroad a peaceful and memorable 66th Independence Anniversary, praying for continued peace, stability, prosperity and progress for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Our differences should never be greater than our common identity as Nigerians. Let us continue to choose unity over division, service over self-interest and hope over despair. The Nigeria of our dreams is possible if we all play our part,” Omidiran said.
“On behalf of the Federal Character Commission, I congratulate all Nigerians on this 66th Independence Anniversary. May this occasion renew our patriotism, strengthen our unity and inspire us to work together for a stronger, more equitable and prosperous Nigeria. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she added.
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