FG backs 12,000 youth entrepreneurs

The Federal Government said it has engaged over 12,000 youths in local and global opportunities, and spent over N13million on grants for more than 80 youth entrepreneurs in two years. The Technical Adviser to the Vice President on Women, Youth Engagement and Impact, Hajia Hauwa Liman stated this during the 7th edition of Youth Opportunity […]

The Federal Government said it has engaged over 12,000 youths in local and global opportunities, and spent over N13million on grants for more than 80 youth entrepreneurs in two years.

The Technical Adviser to the Vice President on Women, Youth Engagement and Impact, Hajia Hauwa Liman stated this during the 7th edition of Youth Opportunity Summit in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Speaking on the theme, “Leveraging Opportunities: Building A Future-Ready Youth’’, Liman said over 255 young volunteers have been mobilised since the launch of the summit in May 2024 at Bayero University, Kano.

She explained that the summit whch has so far held in six cities with Uyo becoming the seventh, is a catalyst for growth among the youths.

‘‘When we launched this Summit in May 2024 at Bayero University, Kano, we had a vision. Not an event — a movement. Not just another conference, but a catalyst for growth among youths. Today, that vision has directly engaged over 12,000 young people across six cities with Uyo becoming the seventh.

 

‘‘We have supported more than 80 entrepreneurs with over 13 million naira in grants. We have mobilized over 255 young volunteers — building not just capacity, but a culture of service among the youth,” she stated.

 

Liman said the summit was a launch pad for young people to leverage local and global opportunities, adding that some have used the platform to secure national recognitions while others have expanded their businesses.

 

While speaking, Commissioner of Youth Development, Akwa Ibom State, Dr Ekerete Ekanem, urged youths to utilise opportunities created by the state government to improve themselves.

 

In her opening remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and former Vice Chancellor University of Uyo Prof. Comfort Ekpo, charged the youths to grab the opportunity to improve their lives.

 

In his key note address, renowned Economist and former Vice Chancellor University of Uyo, Prof Akpan Hogan Ekpo, said youths must be seen as strategic partners and change agents, rather than passive recipients of aid if any nation would achieve sustainable growth and development.