NGO Seeks Solutions To Bad Governance, Poor Education, Unemployment In Nigeria, Awards Scholarships To 43 Students

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ABAKALIKI – A non-governmental organisation, One Youth Global, has called for practical solutions to Nigeria’s governance, educational standards, unemployment and economic hardship.

The organisation, which focuses on youth leadership and development, also urged African governments to place education at the centre of national planning by building learning systems that equip young people with the skills, values and creativity needed to drive the continent’s transformation.

The President of One Youth Global, Uchechukwu Agbo, made the call while addressing journalists after the grand finale of Spark Nation 3.0, held at the permanent site of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.

Agbo described education as the most dependable foundation for economic growth, responsible leadership and sustainable social progress, stressing that no nation can rise above the quality of its educational system.

He disclosed that no fewer than 192 schools from across Africa participated in the programme, while 43 outstanding students received full scholarships to pursue higher education at universities of their choice within the continent.

According to him, education remains the most effective way to raise a generation of innovative and productive young people capable of addressing Africa’s pressing challenges.

“Education is the foundation of everything we hope to build. The more we invest in the minds of our young people, the stronger and more productive our nations become,” Agbo said.

He added that meaningful development would remain elusive if education continued to be neglected.
“We cannot talk about development while the classroom is neglected. Almost every challenge we face, whether in leadership, the economy or our communities, can be traced back to the kind of education we give our children,” he said.

Agbo explained that the scholarship initiative was designed to eliminate financial barriers preventing talented young Africans from accessing higher education.

“It is painful to watch a gifted child give up on education because of money. These scholarships are our way of saying that no dream should die because a family is poor,” he said.

He urged governments, private organisations and philanthropists to invest more in education through scholarships, mentorship programmes and improved infrastructure, describing such investments as critical to national development.

Speaking on the economy, Agbo said productivity and national prosperity begin with quality education.

“The economy is about the exchange of value, and value begins with knowledge. We need to raise a new generation of productive young people who understand that leadership is about responsibility, not position,” he stated.

He also advocated reforms that would make African education more practical, innovative and entrepreneurship-driven, enabling graduates to become job creators rather than job seekers.

Earlier, the Director of Programmes and Boot Camp at One Youth Global, Samson Amulu, said Spark Nation 3.0 was designed to nurture young Africans into problem-solvers by combining academic learning with practical leadership training in education, the economy, security and community development.

According to him, participants were divided into five sectors of influence, with each group identifying societal challenges and proposing practical solutions. Outstanding performers in the quiz and debate competitions were rewarded with scholarships.

Also speaking, Eliezer Ajah and Raymond Onwu, a technology expert and team lead at Garage Company, commended One Youth Global for promoting education and creating platforms that enable young Africans to learn, compete and develop their potential.

Speaking on behalf of the scholarship recipients, Chukwuemeka Prosper of Saint Nicholas Comprehensive Secondary School and Alum Kelyn of White Cloud School, Abakaliki, appealed to African leaders to invest more in education and youth development.

“Education has opened doors we never imagined, and every young African deserves the same chance. When leaders invest in learning, they invest in the future of the whole continent,” they said.