News
Youth Minister Canvasses More Stakeholder’s Support For NYSC
Joel Ajayi
The Minister for Youth, Dr Jamila Bio-Ibrahim has advocated for improved stakeholders’ support for the National Youth Service Corps.
She said there is a need to strengthen the Scheme so as to consolidate its laudable achievements in youth empowerment, national unity and integration, rural development, and educational improvement among others.
The Minister stated this today in her address when she paid a courtesy visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
Bio-Ibrahim promised to work with the NYSC Management in order to achieve the objectives of the Scheme.
“I have been a strong advocate of the NYSC and this is the time when the country needs the Scheme.
It is my hope that the Scheme is sustained and we will work together with you for the sake of Nigerian youths”, she said.
Speaking earlier, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General YD Ahmed congratulated the Minister on her appointment.
He said the Scheme has become a household name in Nigeria through its invaluable contributions to national unity and socio-economic development of the country.
“As a dynamic organization, the Scheme has continued to assert its relevance by being responsive to prevailing national needs”, the DG said.
General Ahmed added that in its quest to enhance the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development program, the Scheme has partnered with several agencies like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Access Bank, Unity Bank, Gombe State University, Nasarawa State University, and NYSC Foundation among others.
He said the partnership has granted financial empowerment and technical support to some Corps Members as start-up capital to establish their businesses in line with the skills they acquired during service.
The Director General listed some of the challenges facing the Scheme including; poor condition of some Orientation Camps, inadequate Corps Lodges, and insufficient vehicles for inspection of Corps Members among others.
News
AWESSA 2026: Customs Assures Border Cooperation for Women Entrepreneurs
By James Samuel, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service has said the nation’s borders must become gateways of opportunity for African women entrepreneurs, not obstacles that kill their businesses.
This was disclosed at the African Women’s Economic Sovereignty Summit and Awards (AWESSA) 2026 held at the Customs House, corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, his representative, an Assistant Controller, said hosting the summit inside Customs premises was deliberate.
“That this summit holds within the Customs premises is no accident. It is a statement of intent,” he said.
“The border is where the promise of every African trader either comes alive or dies quietly. And the men and women of this Service have resolved that for every woman entrepreneur of this continent, that promise will never die.”
He said women account for an estimated 70% of informal cross-border trade in Africa and over half of agricultural labour, yet they face documentation, standards, finance and harassment challenges.
“Too often she meets the border as an obstacle rather than a gateway. Because she trades in small volumes, in cash, in informality without formal papers, capable business women are now trapped in informality, invisible to trade statistics,” he noted.
He added: “AfCFTA will not be delivered by treaties alone. It will be delivered at border posts, in conference halls, and in market stores.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by a Director, said women are central to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.
According to her, NEPC’s focus is now on building export- ready competitive enterprises through programmes like the Women in Export Initiative, Export Clinic, and Zero to Export.
“Our focus is no longer on encouraging exports alone, it is on building competitive export-ready enterprises. We are supporting women to move beyond production into value addition, quality assurance, standard compliance, branding and market positioning,” she said.
She said AfCFTA offers a market of over one billion people, but women need knowledge, certifications and institutional support.
“Empowering women economically is one of the most effective tools for achieving poverty reduction, food security, job creation and inclusive growth,” she stated.
The Convener, Helen Okon, who is the Publisher of Business Review Africa & Africa Today Magazine, as well as representatives of NAFDAC DG and NEXIM Bank MD, reaffirmed commitment to supporting women-owned businesses access standards, certification and finance.
The summit, with the theme of positioning women as drivers of trade and sustainable development, is part of activities marking the International Year of the Women Farmer.
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