News
Sapphittal Partners Ministry of Youth Development to Empower Young Entrepreneurs Through Nigerian Youth Academy
The Chief Executive Officer of Sapphittal, Mr. Amu Ogbeide, has reiterated the company’s unwavering commitment to empowering young Nigerians through innovation and entrepreneurship under the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) initiative.
Sapphittal serves as the technical and implementing partner to the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, working closely with the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Hon. Ayodele Olawande, to create sustainable opportunities for Nigerian youth.
Speaking during the launch of NiYA Startup Phase 1.0 in Abuja, Mr. Ogbeide described the project as part of a broader youth empowerment ecosystem designed to train, fund, and mentor young innovators across the country
“Sapphittal is the technical and implementing partner to the Federal Ministry of Youth Development. Together with the Honourable Minister, we have built an ecosystem called the Nigerian Youth Academy,” he said.
He explained that the academy comprises several interconnected platforms — including NiYA Home, a Job Portal, and the NiYA Startup Hub — all designed to support young Nigerians with learning, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities.
“What you witnessed today is one of our startup competitions, where we went out across the country to identify young Nigerians with brilliant business ideas. We are providing them with mentorship, digital tools, and some seed funding to help them thrive,” he said.
Mr. Ogbeide noted that the NiYA Startup Phase 1.0 selected 17 young Nigerians from diverse backgrounds whose business ideas showed promise and innovation. He emphasized that the selection process was transparent, credible, and completely merit-based, involving independent judges drawn from across the country.
“I must say this very clearly — we do not know any of the 17 beneficiaries. Neither I nor the Honourable Minister had any influence on the process. The judges did not see names or localities; they only assessed the ideas. It was a fair and objective process,” he stressed.
The CEO explained that the initiative welcomed business ideas from all sectors, reflecting Nigeria’s diversity and creativity.
“We told Nigerians to bring their ideas — whether in health, environment, or technology. One participant even came up with a ‘boy-boy technology’ concept to digitalize how errands are run in Nigeria. We are a nation full of ideas; what we need is a system that helps those ideas thrive,” Ogbeide said.
He further highlighted that the next phase of the programme will focus on helping the selected entrepreneurs grow their businesses with access to digital tools, mentorship, and additional funding opportunities.
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We are giving them digital tools, website builders, and funding support to go back to their communities and start building. We’ll monitor their progress and, in the next phase, select more participants for higher levels of support,” he explained.
According to him, the NiYA Startup 2.0 will expand to include targeted competitions for both male and female entrepreneurs, ensuring inclusivity and broader participation across Nigeria
“This is just the beginning — this is NiYA Startup 1.0. Watch out for 2.0. We will do special editions for female founders, for male innovators, and we’ll keep going. The Honourable Minister has given us the mandate to reach every young Nigerian and bring partners together to make this work,” Ogbeide stated.
He commended Honourable Ayodele Olawande for his passion and leadership in driving youth development initiatives and ensuring fairness, accountability, and transparency in the process
“ Nigeria belongs to all of us,” Ogbeide concluded. “It’s time we start doing things properly — with fairness, transparency, and purpose. Under the Minister’s leadership, we will continue to drive the growth and empowerment of Nigerian youth across all sectors.”
Foreign news
Algeria’s Glorious Revolution: Embassy Marks 72nd Anniversary in Abuja
Joel Ajayi
The Embassy of Algeria in Nigeria has commemorated the 72nd anniversary of the country’s Glorious Revolution of November 1, 1954, with a reception in Abuja, highlighting Algeria’s liberation struggle and strengthening diplomatic relations with Nigeria.
The event, held on November 9, 2026, at Continental Suites Hotel, attracted prominent personalities, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas, members of the Federal Government, senior government officials, heads of diplomatic missions and other friends of Algeria.
Speaking at the reception, Algeria’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Hocine Mezoued, welcomed guests and paid tribute to the country’s freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives during the struggle for independence.
He described the November 1, 1954 revolution as the foundation of modern Algeria, noting that the sacrifices of the nation’s martyrs made it possible for the country to reclaim its sovereignty.
On Algeria’s development agenda, Mezoued said President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s administration had continued to pursue economic reforms, diversification and national development under its New Algeria vision.
He noted that the country was recording progress in non-hydrocarbon exports, while improvements in the business environment had boosted investor confidence and attracted significant foreign investments.
On foreign policy, the ambassador reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to non-interference, respect for national sovereignty, peaceful conflict resolution and the right of peoples to self-determination.
Addressing security challenges in the Sahel, he stressed that lasting peace could not be achieved through military measures alone, insisting that economic development, inclusive dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes remained essential.
Turning to Nigeria-Algeria relations, Mezoued described the partnership as one founded on shared values and the commitment of both countries’ leaders to advancing African development.
He identified the Trans-Saharan Highway, Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and Trans-Saharan Fibre Optic Backbone as major strategic projects receiving attention from both countries.
The ambassador also disclosed that Algeria had continued to provide scholarships to Nigerian students to strengthen human capital development and capacity building.
He further announced that Air Algérie expanded its Nigerian operations on October 26, 2026, with the introduction of two weekly flights to Lagos, expressing confidence that the service would boost trade and tourism.
Looking ahead, Mezoued said 2027 would offer fresh opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly through the fifth Joint High Bi-National Commission scheduled to hold in Abuja.
He expressed optimism that the meeting would provide an opportunity to assess existing partnerships, identify new areas of cooperation and move Nigeria-Algeria relations towards a more practical and results-driven phase.
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