By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has restated his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment, job creation, and enterprise development as major pillars of his Solution Government.
Governor Soludo stated this at the graduation ceremony of the One Youth Two Skills Plus (Batch 2) Trainees, which held on Tuesday, September 30, at the International Convention Centre, Awka, and which saw 8,300 young men and women formally graduate and receive financial support to start or expand their businesses. The Governor described the occasion as historic and reaffirmed that he sought the governorship role of the state because of the youths, stressing that the initiative remains the largest youth enterprise and SME development programme in Nigeria, targeted at turning Anambra into the biggest skill hub in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The event, which drew stakeholders and beneficiaries from across the 179 communities of the state, also marked the official disbursement of N4 billion as business financing grants to the graduates, alongside the award of UNIZIK Business Certificates and one-year free mentorship. Speaking at the occasion, Governor Soludo explained that the programme, launched in October 2022, is a structured system of youth enterprise development anchored on five pillars, apprenticeship, entrepreneurship, cooperatives formation, business financing, and mentorship, with entrepreneurship and mentorship coordinated by UNIZIK Business School. He noted that 5,000 youths had benefited from the first phase, with N2 billion given for equipment financing and N2.5 billion released as working capital through ASBA, achieving over 80 percent success rate in terms of business start-ups and expansions.
According to the Governor, the One Youth Two Skills Plus initiative now covers over 65 skill areas carefully chosen based on need assessment, spread under four categories, General Skills, Youth-to-Agriculture Scheme, the ANAWOOD creative economy platform, and the Local Enterprise Development Scheme, otherwise known as Umuboi. He outlined innovations such as the Talking Book device, online entrepreneurship academy, recorded lectures by successful Igbo entrepreneurs, and new additions like the forthcoming Waste-to-Wealth Scheme, which will create jobs in recycling, upcycling, and renewable energy. He further highlighted enabling initiatives including the Master Trainers Certification Programme (with over 650 SMEs certified), value reorientation workshops, reformation of former touts into productive entrepreneurs, and the Close the Gap Initiative for community-based engagement, all of which make the programme holistic and sustainable.
Governor Soludo, who disclosed that the number of beneficiaries has risen from 5,000 in the first phase to 8,300 in the second, with vocational centres increasing from 418 to 634 and entrepreneurship institutes from 22 to 40, announced that the third phase will target 20,000 youths across 1,000 centres. He also revealed ongoing innovations such as the upgraded website and automated data system to eliminate duplication, the establishment of One Youth Two Skills TV and Academy (with 13,000 registered learners, 7,221 already certified), as well as the adoption of GPS coordinates for monitoring. Beyond the programme, he pointed to broader youth development agendas including digital empowerment through the One Million Anambra Digital Tribe, the Solution Innovation Direction (SID) and sports initiatives, alongside the employment of 9,000 youths in education, health, and construction.
Congratulating the graduates, Soludo urged them to start small but think big, assuring that with the training, funding, and one-year mentorship provided, their success is guaranteed. He also invited communities and individuals to partner with government in empowering youths, declaring that “the greatest investment is in humans” and that together, Anambra will build a prosperous and livable homeland.
Also speaking at the event, the State Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Patrick Agha Mba, described the One Youth, Two Skills Plus initiative as a masterpiece of the Soludo administration which has grown from strength to strength, breaking barriers and setting milestones since its launch.
He hailed the Governor as “the youth-friendly leader and commander of youth forces” who not only conceived the programme but has consistently provided the resources and approvals needed to sustain its impact. The Commissioner noted that the scheme is today regarded as Nigeria’s best youth enterprise development model, having subjected beneficiaries to rigorous processes of screening, training, monitoring and evaluation before graduation, thereby producing disciplined, market-ready entrepreneurs.
He explained that the programme’s successes were not achieved by the Ministry of Youth Development alone but through collaborations with other MDAs such as the Ministry of Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, which contributed to the ANAWOOD creative economy scheme; the Ministry of Industry, which supported the Online Academy and data systems; and the Ministry of Agriculture, which played a key role in the Youth-to-Agriculture component. He also commended the One Youth Two Skills Committee, the Entrepreneurship School, the Technical Team, the Permanent Secretary, staff, and management of his Ministry, describing the project as broad and all-encompassing, with sub-schemes ranging from SME retraining and certification, community engagement, and value reorientation, to youth reformation programmes that have transformed former miscreants into productive citizens. He revealed that through the Job Start Solution Initiative, over 1,018 youths have already secured jobs in the private sector across banking, manufacturing, and corporate firms.
Highlighting the Governor’s vision of raising 1,000 youth millionaires annually, Agha Mba affirmed that the beneficiaries of the first phase are already making waves in the market, producing export-quality goods that are being patronized by government, including paints, footwear, and clothing. He said the ICC venue would have been filled with their products but for space limitations, which prompted the planning of a grand Anambra Youth2Skills Trade Fair and Business Summit later in the year, to further promote the policy of “using what we produce and producing what we use.” He urged the Governor to visit the mini trade fair on the sidelines of the ceremony as proof of how far the beneficiaries have come, and concluded by requesting that six of the new graduates be allowed to share brief testimonies on the life-changing impact of the programme.
Earlier in his remark, Prof. Chinedu U. Onyeizugbe, Chairman of the 1 Youth 2 Skills Entrepreneurship Scheme and Director of the Centre for Capital Market Studies at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, lauded Governor Soludo’s commitment to tackling youth unemployment, noting that the graduation of 7,400 entrepreneurs, a 48% rise from the pioneer batch, demonstrates the success of the expanded One Youth Two Skills Plus initiative. He explained that the programme’s five interconnected schemes represent a holistic approach to job creation and sustainability.
Prof. Onyeizugbe highlighted the world-class curriculum developed in partnership with UNIZIK Business School, and strongly recommended the adoption of the curriculum nationwide as a best practice in entrepreneurship education; while also advising the graduates to see themselves as agents of transformation, creating value and solving problems beyond profit. He further expressed gratitude to the Governor, UNIZIK, and EDI partners for their support, while affirming that each graduation brings Anambra closer to the vision of a state where every youth thrives through productive enterprise.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, many graduates of the One Youth Two Skills Plus initiative shared moving testimonies of how the programme had transformed their lives and careers. Edeh Valentine from Enugu State narrated how he moved from analogue trading to running a smart, digital business, praising Governor Soludo for enacting the Igbo Apprenticeship System Law, which he said restored dignity to young people previously lured into crime. From Ndiokpalaeke in Orumba North, Chika Orji, a filmmaking trainee, lauded the scheme for teaching both the creative and entrepreneurial sides of the movie industry, pledging to mentor future participants.
Similarly speaking, Daniel Kehinde, a serving NYSC member in Anambra who hails from Ogun State, expressed gratitude for the inclusivity of the programme, revealing that he left Anambra not only as a corps member but also as a certified cinematographer and budding entrepreneur. On his own part, Philip Ndife, who trained in Agrotech, recounted how the initiative turned subsistence farming into profitable agribusiness, enabling him and others to employ fellow youths, with a vision of one day feeding not just Anambra but the nation.
Similarly speaking, others like Obiamaka Divine from Onitsha testified that the Job Kickstart component secured her employment at Zenith Bank, crediting the training for making her competitive in the labour market. In a more emotional note, Obi Chiamaka Patience from Umunze likened Soludo’s leadership to a divine mission, saying the Governor had liberated Anambra youths the same way Moses delivered Israel, while recounting how the programme gave her both vocational skills in make-up and entrepreneurial knowledge through UNIZIK Business School, opportunities she never imagined affording on her own.
The well-attended event, spiced up with drama and special performances from the ANAWOOD crew, also featured exhibition of some of the world-class items produced by the graduands. The highly-energetic graduands also chanted solidarity songs and unanimously declared their support for Governor Soludo’s re-election in the November 8 gubernatorial poll.
The lively occasion was also graced by top government functionaries, including the Deputy of the State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim; the Federal Minister of Labour and Employment, represented by the Anambra State Comptroller of the Ministry of Labour and Employment is Mrs. Bernadine Oji-Ogbuehi; the Anambra State Head of Service, Barr. Theodora Igwegbe; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi; the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu; State Chairman of APGA, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye, as well as traditional rulers and religious leaders, among others.
Some other members of the State Executive Council were also present at the event, including the ebullient State Commissioner for Power and Water Resources, Engr. Julius Chukwuemeka; the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Comrade Don Onyenji; the Commissioner for Industry, Dr. Christian Udechukwu; the Special Adviser on Youth Empowerment Programmes, Dr. Nelson Omenugha; as well as the Managing Director of the Anambra State Civic and Social Reformation Office (ANCISRO), Chuka Nnabuife.
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, observed that despite the jubilant atmosphere in the hall, Governor Soludo appeared to be very unhappy and dissatisfied with his Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, who arrived the event very late, as was shown in the way and manner the Governor scowly shunned him when he went to greet him after his late arrival at the event.
The symbolic presentation of some certificates and a dummy cheque of three-point five billion naira (N3.5 billion) empowerment fund by the Governor to the representatives of the One Youth Two Skills (Batch 2) beneficiaries formed the highpoints of the event.
More photos from the event:
