The Federal Government has entered into a strategic partnership with the Africa Projects Development Centre (APDC) to rehabilitate and reposition Youth Development Centres across Nigeria, in a move aimed at expanding skills acquisition, innovation, and employment opportunities for young people.
The partnership was formalised on Monday in Abuja with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and APDC.
The agreement focuses on the rehabilitation, equipping, and effective utilisation of youth centres nationwide to serve as modern training, incubation, and innovation hubs.
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the initiative reflects the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to youth empowerment, job creation, and sustainable national development.
He noted that many youth centres across the country have suffered years of neglect, limiting their ability to support young Nigerians.
According to the Minister, the collaboration with APDC will introduce technical expertise, private sector efficiency, and innovative funding models required to restore the centres to functional standards.
He described the partnership as a shared commitment to building a sustainable and inclusive youth development framework.
Comrade Olawande explained that the MoU covers project design, training and capacity building, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and resource mobilisation, with the overarching goal of revitalising Youth Development Centres nationwide.
He added that the centres will be transformed into fit-for-purpose facilities delivering vocational, technical, digital, and entrepreneurial skills aligned with high-demand sectors of the economy.
“The revitalised centres will also serve as platforms for innovation, mentorship, and market access for young Nigerians,” the Minister said, adding that the initiative would strengthen the Ministry’s capacity in donor engagement, project implementation, and results-based monitoring and evaluation.
He stressed that the partnership provides a practical platform for translating youth development policies into implementable, results-driven programmes capable of addressing unemployment, skills gaps, and limited access to finance.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Maryam Ismaila Kenshiro, described the MoU as a strategic step toward strengthening youth development structures and expanding opportunities for young Nigerians.
She said the collaboration would focus on transforming existing youth centres into functional training and incubation facilities tailored to current labour market demands.
Dr. Kenshiro noted that APDC brings proven expertise in project design, capacity building, and youth incubation, which would complement the Ministry’s mandate and enhance programme delivery, monitoring, and evaluation. She added that the agreement also provides a framework for joint resource mobilisation, including engagement with development banks and strategic partners, to ensure sustainability and measurable impact.
Earlier, the Managing Director of APDC, Dr. Chiji Ojukwu, said the partnership was the outcome of sustained engagement and a shared vision to scale youth empowerment programmes nationwide.
He disclosed that APDC has empowered more than 9,000 youths and women through initiatives in agriculture, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), environmental sustainability, and the creative sector.
Dr. Ojukwu expressed confidence that the partnership would support national expansion of youth programmes, strengthen resource mobilisation, and promote evidence-based youth policy development to achieve sustainable impact across the country.