Maryam Aminu
The Federal Government has once again placed Nigeria’s young population at the forefront of national transformation, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirming that youth will remain central to the country’s development agenda.
Speaking through his Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Olufemi Akeem Gbajabiamila, at the Nigeria Youth Academy (NIYA) Startup Grant Award Ceremony and the launch of NIYA Gigs on Tuesday at the State House Conference Hall, Abuja, the President emphasized that empowering young Nigerians is both a strategic priority and a personal conviction.
Tinubu paid tribute to the ingenuity and global influence of Nigerian youth, noting that they continue to set remarkable standards in innovation, civic leadership, and the creative industries. He stressed that his administration’s economic reforms are deliberately designed to remove bureaucratic and financial obstacles that hinder young people from achieving their ambitions.
He announced renewed government investment across key sectors technology, agriculture, manufacturing, the creative economy, and green energy describing the interventions as part of a comprehensive empowerment ecosystem aimed at enabling young innovators to thrive.
Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, echoed the President’s stance, highlighting Nigeria’s unique demographic advantage, with more than 65 percent of the population under 30.
He said programmes like the NIYA Startup Scheme and NIYA Gigs were crafted to equip young Nigerians with digital skills, mentorship, entrepreneurship support, and practical training needed to excel in the modern economy.
“These programs are not theories they are real avenues for young Nigerians to earn, innovate, and contribute meaningfully,” Olawande noted, adding that recent reforms have opened access to opportunities previously constrained by systemic bottlenecks.
In his goodwill message, Minister of Finance Wale Edun affirmed that the new economic landscape rewards competence and creativity rather than connections.
He said long-standing barriers that frustrated youth entrepreneurship have been dismantled, clearing the way for a vibrant new generation of business leaders and innovators.
The event marked another bold step by the Federal Government toward democratizing opportunity and building a future driven by the talent, resilience, and ambition of Nigeria’s youth.
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