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FG Renews Pledge to Prioritize Youth Empowerment Nationwide

Published

1 week ago

December 10, 2025

Joel Ajayi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to placing young Nigerians at the center of national development, declaring that the youth “will not be sidelined in Nigeria’s progress.”

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Olufemi Akeem Gbajabiamila, the President made this statement at the Nigeria Youth Academy (NIYA) Startup Grant Award Ceremony and the official launch of NIYA Gigs, held today at the State House Conference Hall, Abuja.

President Tinubu noted that his dedication to youth empowerment is deeply personal, acknowledging the significant and historic role young Nigerians continue to play in driving innovation, civic engagement, and cultural influence across the world.

He highlighted the administration’s broad economic reform agenda aimed at unlocking the full potential of young people. According to him, all youth-focused interventions are guided by a long-term vision to eliminate bureaucratic, financial, and structural barriers that stand in the way of youth ambition.

The President announced strengthened government support across key sectors such as technology, agriculture, manufacturing, the creative economy, and green energy. He described these investments as part of a deliberately designed empowerment ecosystem that provides multiple pathways for young innovators to thrive.

In his remarks, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, emphasized that Nigeria’s demographic reality with over 65% of its population under 30 and a median age of just above 18 presents an unparalleled opportunity to secure long-term national prosperity.

According to the Minister, the NIYA Startup Programme and NIYA Gigs are practical, hands-on initiatives aimed at preparing young Nigerians for the modern economy. Through structured training, mentorship, digital skills development, and entrepreneurship support, these programmes are designed to unlock the creativity, resilience, and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s youth.

“These programs are not abstract concepts,” he said. “They are real, immediate pathways for young Nigerians to earn, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to national development.”

Olawande reiterated the administration’s goal of democratizing opportunity, adding that recent economic reforms have dismantled historical barriers that previously limited youth access to markets, foreign exchange, and business opportunities.

“You no longer need long connections or privileged access to succeed in Nigeria,” he declared. “What you need now is talent, discipline, creativity, and courage. This government is ensuring that every young Nigerian regardless of background has a fair chance to prosper.”

In a goodwill message, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, reaffirmed that the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms are already “democratizing opportunities” for young people. Unlike in the past, when access to business opportunities and foreign exchange depended heavily on personal connections, today’s economic environment rewards talent, competence, and determination.

He stressed that barriers that once stifled youth entrepreneurship have been removed, paving the way for a new generation of innovators across various sectors.

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PSIN Posts Major Institutional Reforms, Improved Financial Discipline, Earns House Committee Praise

Published

20 hours ago

December 18, 2025

The Gleamer

Cyril Ogar

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Service Matters has reviewed the 2024 budget performance of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) and commended the Institute’s leadership for initiating wide-ranging reforms aimed at strengthening governance, service delivery, and institutional discipline.

The commendation came during an oversight visit by members of the Committee to PSIN headquarters along the Kubwa Expressway, Abuja.

Speaking at the engagement, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Engr. Sani Umar Bala, described the visit as significant, noting that it marked the Committee’s first official engagement with PSIN under the leadership of its new Administrator. He congratulated the Administrator on the appointment and expressed the Committee’s readiness to work closely with the Institute to promote accountability, innovation, and sustainable institutional growth.

Hon. Bala recalled that the Committee’s last oversight visit to PSIN took place in July of the previous year, during which key recommendations were made, particularly the need for the Institute to evolve innovative strategies to boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and the enactment of a substantive Establishment Act to strengthen its legal and institutional framework.

He stressed that all public funds, including IGR, must be expended strictly in accordance with constitutional provisions, legislative approvals, and national priorities, adding that oversight by the National Assembly is constructive and aimed at supporting institutions to perform better.

“This visit provides an opportunity for us to receive a clear account of actions taken since our last engagement, the reforms introduced, challenges encountered, and the strategic direction the Institute is now pursuing,” the Committee Chairman said.

In her address, the Administrator of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria Administrator/ CEO, Barrister Imeh Okon welcomed members of the Committee and described the visit as timely, coming shortly after the completion of his first 100 days in office. He explained that the period was deliberately focused on understanding the institution, engaging staff, and restoring operational discipline rather than publicity.

According to her, management instituted monthly whole-of-staff engagement forums, reinstated weekly departmental meetings, and introduced staff morale initiatives aimed at strengthening teamwork, accountability, and a sense of belonging.

On service delivery, Barrister Imeh Okon disclosed that PSIN successfully completed the onboarding of its Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre as an accredited facility by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), strengthening the Institute’s capacity to deliver technology-driven and credible assessments.

Shee added that over 400 public servants from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were trained during the period, while PSIN also conducted nationwide promotion examinations for more than 2,600 staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Administrator further highlighted steps taken to restore financial discipline, including strengthened financial controls, compliance with government financial regulations, comprehensive audits of facilities and assets, and the recovery and regularisation of outstanding revenues, all aimed at promoting transparency and value for money.

Physical infrastructure improvements were also recorded, with renovated lecture rooms, rehabilitated facilities, improved sanitation systems, fumigation of the premises, and enhanced security measures to protect government assets.

Looking ahead, he outlined plans to modernise PSIN’s curriculum, expand e-learning and blended learning platforms, digitise internal processes, and fully embrace the Institute’s think-tank mandate through policy dialogues, advisory services, and strategic partnerships, including a proposed twinning arrangement with the Singapore Public Service Institute.

The highlight of the visit was the presentation of PSIN’s 2024 budget performance, in line with the Institute’s core mandate of training and continuous retraining of public servants.

Members of the Committee welcomed the presentation and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting PSIN through legislation, policy guidance, and advocacy aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s public service architecture.

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