More than 200 youths in Taraba State have received N500,000 each under the first phase of the state government’s youth empowerment programme.
This followed Governor Agbu Kefas’ unveiling of a six-year youth development roadmap for 2026–2031.
The initiative which was organised by the Taraba State Youth Development Agency, was launched at the Banquet Hall of the TY Danjuma House, Jalingo yesterday.
The programme is expected to strengthen entrepreneurship, promote job creation and increase the participation of young people in Taraba’s economic development.
Speaking at the event, the minister of youth development, Hon. Ayodele Olawande, urged other states to adopt similar interventions to tackle youth unemployment and promote entrepreneurship.
Hon. Olawande described the Taraba’s initiative as a practical demonstration of how federal and state governments could collaborate to expand economic opportunities for young Nigerians.
He said the federal government was implementing various programmes to support, empower and protect youths, but noted that the country’s large youth population required stronger interventions at the sub-national level.
According to him, partnerships between the federal government, state governments and the private sector would increase access to grants, business support and other opportunities capable of stimulating enterprise development and job creation.
“We have created a new platform to support young people who want to build their businesses, create jobs and solve problems. We are already addressing entrepreneurship challenges through grants and other forms of support, but Nigeria has a very large population.
“The federal government cannot reach everyone at the same time. With what we are having now in Taraba, it is a great and important lesson for a lot of sub-nationals,” he said.
The minister charged the beneficiaries to treat the N500,000 grants as seed capital and invest them in businesses capable of generating income and creating employment.
“Treat this grant as a seed. Plant it, water it and grow it. We want to see you building others. We want to see you creating jobs,” Olawande said.
He stressed that the success of the intervention should not be judged solely by the number of beneficiaries, but by the businesses established, jobs created and additional young people who would benefit from the enterprises.
Hon. Olawande also commended the state government for developing the Youth Development Roadmap, describing it as an important framework for giving youth development a sustained and structured direction.
He challenged other states to emulate Taraba, saying Nigeria could turn its large youth population into an economic advantage if governments provided the right environment, skills and resources.
Speaking at the event, Governor Kefas said his administration was determined to provide young people with opportunities to discover their potential, acquire productive skills and become economically self-reliant.
Governor Kefas disclosed that, his commitment to youth development began before he became governor, revealing that he had personally supported the education of more than 2,000 young people.
He said, the state government was laying a foundation that would benefit both the present generation and those coming after it, stressing that the future of Taraba depended largely on how its young population was prepared and empowered.
“I don’t play politics with people’s lives. I am repositioning people to find their place in life, and that is what we call destiny,” the governor said.
He urged youths to discover their purpose and remain committed to productive ventures, saying every individual had a role to play in society.
