FG Launches Bold Push to Tackle Youth Poverty, Unemployment Through YEIDEP

Maryam Aminu

The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to tackle youth poverty, unemployment, and insecurity with the rollout of the Youth Economic Intervention and Deregulation Program (YEIDEP) a national mission designed to empower young Nigerians through enterprise and innovation.

Speaking at the YEIDEP Stakeholders Retreat, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the programme is more than just another government initiative.

“YEIDEP is a national mission essential to Nigeria’s peace, stability, and prosperity,” he stressed, urging stakeholders to collaborate, define clear roles, set measurable timelines, and ensure accountability in the programme’s rollout.

The Minister, represented by his Chief of Staff, Muhammed Abdullahi, emphasized that YEIDEP’s strength lies in creating sustainable economic opportunities, particularly through agriculture and its value chains, to address rising unemployment and disillusionment among Nigerian youth.

On the financial side, the Ministry’s Director of Finance and Accounts, Warrens Bekearadebo Augusta, revealed that 9 out of 20 invited banks have officially joined YEIDEP, opening accounts, registering beneficiaries, and driving financial operations.

She added that 3–4 more banks are expected to sign on soon.

So far, over 8,000 verified young Nigerians have been enrolled as first-tranche beneficiaries. To ensure efficiency, banks are being grouped into clusters with strict monitoring and accountability measures in place.

YEIDEP Coordinator, Comrade Kennedy Iyere, described the programme as a “necessary revolution” for Nigeria’s survival. Drawing from his global experience across 77 nations, he said Nigeria’s challenges stem not from a lack of resources but from weak leadership in the past.

“YEIDEP is about equipping young Nigerians with skills, resources, and opportunities to thrive,” Iyere said. “This is how we will build resilience, strengthen enterprise, and secure Nigeria’s future.”

With stakeholders, financial institutions, and thousands of young Nigerians already onboard, YEIDEP is shaping up to be one of the Federal Government’s most ambitious youth empowerment initiatives yet.