Ayodele Olawande, minister of youth development, said the federal government remains committed to empowering young Nigerians through innovative programmes, inclusive policies, and strategic partnerships.

Mr Olawande said this on Monday in Abuja during the presidential priorities and deliverables retreat- a mid-term review of the 2025 strategic development goals.

He said the ministry exceeded its second-quarter goals by training 14,509 youths in digital skills (target: 10,000) and mentoring 97,212 in career development (target: 80,000), among other achievements.

Additionally, he said 5,023 youths were trained in crime reduction and peace-building (target: 2,500); over 250,000 enrolled in the Nigerian Youth Academy, and 5,700 HelpDesk cases were processed.

Mr Olawande said that N31.6 million was generated from youth centres, far exceeding the N11 million target.

He emphasised the ministry’s efficiency and growing impact.

Mr Olawande announced a new NYIF funding window for women and youth with disabilities, with support from women’s groups, disability organisations, and the private sector, backed by measurable performance indicators.

EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gutier Migot, lauded the ministry’s leadership and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to ongoing partnerships in youth development.

Mr Migot referenced past collaborations like the 2021 National Youth Conference and the 2024 CSO Stakeholders’ Forum, which helped develop the new National Youth Action Plan.

He highlighted EU-supported initiatives, including the D SAFE Project, Nigeria Jubilee Fellowship, Digital Transformation Centres, and the Agricultural Value Chain Facility, applauding Nigerian youths’ resilience.

Olubunmi Olusanya, permanent secretary of the ministry, described the retreat as a critical opportunity to reflect, reassess, and renew the ministry’s commitment to impactful youth development.

Mr Olusanya added that the ministry was focused on improving coordination, strengthening performance management, building staff capacity, and creating flexible structures for long-term sustainability.

Brig-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, director-general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), commended the minister’s leadership and noted the training of 56,013 corps members in digital skills, including 2,920 women.

He said since June 2023, more than 385,000 corps members were engaged through the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, with 1,118 receiving support to launch businesses.

Rinsola Abiola, director-general of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, said the retreat aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for youth-focused governance.

Ms Abiola stressed that Nigeria’s future relied on developing ethical, patriotic youth.

She urged attendees to contribute innovative ideas to strengthen youth policies and drive national growth.

(NAN)