Uyo, Akwa Ibom – The Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has marked this year’s World Youth Skills Day in Uyo with the launch of key youth empowerment initiatives, highlighting Akwa Ibom’s first-ever celebration of the United Nations-designated day since its inception in 2015.

Speaking at the event on July 15, the Minister stated, “Today in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, I joined young Nigerians, partners, and stakeholders to commemorate World Youth Skills Day — a momentous occasion not just nationally, but especially for Akwa Ibom, as the State marks this global day for the very first time since it was established by the United Nations in 2015.”

While Nigeria has celebrated this day ten times, this is the first edition held in Akwa Ibom. Olawande emphasized the importance of grassroots engagement in his collaboration with the state government.

“The event served as a powerful platform to deepen the synergy between the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Akwa Ibom State Government,” he said.

During the ceremony, the Minister announced the launch of two major projects aimed at community-level youth development.

“We seized the opportunity to launch two grassroots-driven initiatives: NiYA Ambassadors – designed to expand the reach and impact of the Nigerian Youth Academy across communities by building a network of change agents at the local level; and the Bamboo Youth Empowerment Programme – an innovative collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Akwa Ibom State Government, and the National Bamboo Farmers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NBFPMAN),” he explained.

The Bamboo Youth Empowerment Programme is set to tap into the region’s natural bamboo resources to drive job creation, climate-smart agriculture, and green business opportunities.

Olawande noted, “It was particularly encouraging to witness Akwa Ibom’s commitment to lead in this climate-smart and forward-looking agenda, given its vast bamboo resources.”

He also commended Governor Pastor Umo Eno for establishing a dedicated Ministry for Youth Development.

“I was also pleased to learn that Governor Pastor Umo Eno has established a dedicated Ministry for Youth Development — a direct response to a request I made during my last visit,” he said.

Another key moment at the event was the unveiling of the Arise Youth-Friendly Hub. According to Olawande, “This hub mirrors our flagship Youth House initiative at the national level — envisioned as a convergence point for creativity, dialogue, and inclusive youth development.”

The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians through job creation, skill acquisition, and sustainable development efforts.

In other news, NIGCOMSAT launches VSAT training 2025 in Cross River.

July 15, 2025 – The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has publicly denied claims circulating in the media that it failed to pay trainees who reportedly participated in a skill acquisition programme allegedly held in Bayelsa and Rivers states.

Meanwhile, the Commission has not commented on the Youth Internship Scheme for 10,000 Niger Delta youths training with N50,000 stipend.

The viral skill training programme, which was said to have been organised by a religious group known as Victorious Prayer Network, allegedly involved over 2,000 trainees.

According to the organisers, the NDDC had promised to sponsor participants and provide starter packs, a promise they now accuse the Commission of not fulfilling.

In an official statement signed by Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director of Corporate Affairs, and released today July 15, 2025, the Commission stated: “We wish to clarify that the NDDC approved no such training programme, and whatever training was organised under suspicious circumstances did not have the blessings and approval of the Commission.”

The statement further stressed, “The individuals behind these allegations against the NDDC were never engaged by the Commission to carry out skills training.”

Thompson-Wakama reaffirmed that the NDDC has no connection to the alleged programme, adding, “Our programmes are usually well-advertised and open to scrutiny. We recently launched a comprehensive technical skills acquisition programme to equip participants with practical, in-demand skills in Port Harcourt.”

Cautioning the public, especially the youth, the Commission advised: “Members of the public, especially our youths, are advised to be cautious and circumspect in dealing with some questionable persons claiming to be acting on behalf of the NDDC.”

The NDDC expressed concern over the attempt by “mischievous individuals” to exploit young people. “It is disturbing that some mischievous individuals are trying to take advantage of our youths who are genuinely eager to be gainfully engaged in legitimate activities,” the statement read.

Emphasizing its ongoing commitment to accountability, the Commission noted: “We assure all our stakeholders that we remain committed to transparency and fairness in all our activities, including our youth empowerment and skill acquisition programmes.”

The Commission encouraged the public to confirm all information regarding its programmes via official communication channels and its website at www.nddc.gov.ng where updates on youth training, entrepreneurship development, and capacity building are regularly shared.

The Imo State Government has launched a groundbreaking digital platform, ImoTalentHub.com, aimed at connecting thousands of local tech talents with international job markets.

Governor Hope Uzodimma unveiled the initiative as part of the administration’s broader Skill Up Imo programme, launched in 2022 to digitize the state’s economy and curb youth involvement in cybercrime and cultism.

The platform is built through a partnership with the University of California, Berkeley, and the U.S. Market Access Center. According to the state, the initiative targets the placement of 100,000 tech-trained youths in paid international roles by 2026.

“This platform is a gateway for Imo’s young minds, software developers, AI engineers, cybersecurity specialists, and digital designers—to connect with global employers in innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, London, Dubai, and Lagos,” Governor Uzodimma said during the launch.

With over 40,000 learners already graduated from Skill Up Imo, the state now boasts one of the largest pools of tech-trained individuals in Nigeria. The goal is not only to create remote job opportunities but also to improve Nigeria’s digital economy and expand foreign earnings through tech exports.

The government said ImoTalentHub serves as a bridge between learning and employment by providing graduates with verified profiles, portfolio showcases, and access to blockchain-powered smart contracts.

These contracts are designed to automate identity verification (KYC), ensure escrow payment protection, and manage tax compliance seamlessly.

“This means that a fintech firm in London can hire a back-end engineer in Owerri as easily and securely as hiring locally,” a statement from the government reads. “Payments in pounds or dollars are processed through fully regulated channels, proving that Imo’s digital workforce is ready for the global market.”

The University of California, Berkeley, plays a central role in the academic development of the program. Professors from the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology have conducted bootcamps focused on ethical artificial intelligence and venture capital for participants in Imo. They are also supporting the creation of cloud labs equipped with NVIDIA GPUs at the upcoming Imo Digital City campus.

A Founder Development Programme co-created with UC Berkeley will also give startups in Imo direct access to global venture capital and internationally recognized certification.