Plateau State has approved ₦2 billion to boost youth empowerment through training in ICT, agribusiness, and creative industries.
Over 250 young people will benefit from the September skills acquisition program across 17 LGAs.
The Plateau State Government has set aside ₦2 billion in a supplementary budget to strengthen youth empowerment initiatives through skills development and entrepreneurship support.
Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Musa Ashoms, announced the allocation on Monday at the flag-off of a new round of training under the Plateau Youth Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition program. The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Federal Government’s Skills for Wealth project and was launched at Lamingo in Jos North Local Government Area.
According to Ashoms, the funds will be invested in priority sectors such as agribusiness, ICT, and the creative economy. He emphasized that Plateau aims to position itself as a growing center for digital innovation.
“As a Ministry, we have sought the approval of the House of Assembly for ₦2 billion to drive youth empowerment across key industries. In ICT particularly, we want Plateau to stand out as a hub,” Ashoms explained.
He revealed that Governor Caleb Mutfwang had donated the Joseph Gomwalk House to be converted into an ICT center, while the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy has committed to laying 30 kilometers of fiber optic cables in the state.
The commissioner said that 250 youths drawn from all 17 local government areas will take part in the current training cycle, which runs from September 1 to 30, 2025. Participants will be trained in ICT, fashion design, leatherwork, shoemaking, and bag production. The program will be executed in two batches.
Ashoms described the initiative as “strategic and deliberate,” stressing that the administration was committed to equipping young people with skills that guarantee wealth creation and long-term self-reliance.
Zonal Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Deborah Pitmang, also addressed the event, noting that the training was strictly tailored toward practical skills acquisition. She added that successful trainees would be provided with starter kits to aid their ventures.
Some of the beneficiaries applauded the scheme, with trainee John Davou saying: “This program is a welcome opportunity. The ICT sessions will broaden our knowledge and expose us to new possibilities in the digital space.”
