President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerian youths to pursue their dreams boldly, stressing that creativity, innovation, and skills acquisition are key to thriving in a fast-changing world. Speaking during the launch of the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA GIGS) Platform and Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja, he assured that the government will continue to support youth-led initiatives and expand opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship.

The programme, organised by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development under the theme “One Youth, Two Skills”, targets 300 young Nigerians, providing grants to 200 in the formal sector and 100 in the informal sector. The initiative is part of a broader effort to equip young people with digital, creative, agricultural, and green energy skills, alongside access to financing, regulatory reforms, and business support to enable them compete both locally and globally.

Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande and Minister of Finance Wale Edun highlighted that NIYA GIGS represents a historic step in empowering youths, linking skills to markets, ideas to capital, and young entrepreneurs to real opportunities. Through the programme, Nigerian youths are now better positioned to contribute to national development, create wealth, and compete on the global stage.