Soludo empowers 8,300 youths under the ‘1Youth2Skills’ programme, disbursing ₦3.5bn in grants to support skills, entrepreneurship, and job creation.

Soludo empowers 8,300 youths across Anambra State through the second phase of the ‘1Youth2Skills Plus’ programme, disbursing ₦3.5 billion in empowerment grants to support their business ambitions.

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The graduation ceremony took place on Tuesday at the International Convention Centre in Awka, where Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo described the initiative as a sustainable model of youth empowerment and a key plank of his administration’s manifesto.

Launched in October 2022, the programme offers training in agriculture, ICT, crafts, fashion, food production, and service-based industries.

It aims to build a generation of job creators and reduce youth dependency through skills and entrepreneurship.

“We have disbursed ₦3.5 billion in grants to support their business dreams,” the governor announced.

“This initiative is revolutionising youth empowerment in Nigeria, focusing on productive, innovative, and export-driven ventures.”

Soludo empowers 8,300 youths with the intent of making Anambra “the skill hub of Sub-Saharan Africa.”

According to him, the state received over 183,000 applications, underlining strong demand for structured empowerment schemes.

He urged the graduates: “Start small, start now, think big. You’ve been equipped with the skills, funding, and mentorship. Now it’s your turn to shine!”

The programme is part of Soludo’s pledge to raise 1,000 youth millionaires annually, what he refers to as “stomach infrastructure on a sustainable basis”.

The Commissioner for Youth Development, Patrick Aghamba, said the scheme is rapidly transforming lives and reshaping youth development across the state.

The programme’s chairman, Prof. Chinedu Onyeizugbe, highlighted a 48% increase in participation and encouraged academic and policy stakeholders to adopt the initiative as a scalable model for youth empowerment.

Several graduates testified to already employing others in their businesses—a testament to the multiplying effect of the initiative.

The first phase, held in 2023, saw 5,000 youths receive ₦2 billion, with over 1,000 ventures now operational, according to the state.

In addition, Soludo revealed that billions of naira have also been earmarked for the Anambra Small Business Agency (ASBA) to provide soft loans to other aspiring entrepreneurs across the state.

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As Soludo empowers 8,300 youths, Anambra appears poised to serve as a model of skills-led development for other sub-nationals in Nigeria.