The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has said the Akwa Ibom State Government plans to train a total of 31,000 youths annually through Arise Youth Skill Centres proposed across the state’s 31 local government areas.
Mr Eno stated this on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Arise Youth Skill Centre in Oron Local Government Area, describing the initiative as part of efforts to decentralise youth empowerment and bring skills acquisition programmes closer to people at the grassroots.
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This initiative follows the training of 3,000 Akwa Ibom youths in 2021 under the “Ibom 3000 projects” by the previous administration led by Udom Emmanuel.
The governor said the centres were conceived to ensure that young people no longer need to travel to Uyo, the state capital, before accessing government-backed training and empowerment programmes.
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“The creation of a standalone Ministry of Youth Development was aimed at giving focused attention to youth-related interventions across all local government areas,” Mr Eno said.
He disclosed that local government chairpersons were directed to provide land within their council headquarters for the projects, adding that 14 local government areas had already complied, with Oron becoming the first to complete its facility.
According to the governor, the first phase of the project will cover all 31 local government areas before further expansion in 2027.
Mr Eno said each centre would train about 1,000 youths annually through multiple training cycles, with approximately 100 participants selected per batch.
The training, he said, will include programmes in information and communication technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital literacy, fashion design, catering and other vocational skills tailored to local economic needs.
“Training programmes will soon commence in ICT, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and other digital skills to prepare our youths for emerging global opportunities,” he said.
The governor said the centres would operate strictly as training and empowerment facilities and should not be converted for social activities such as weddings or parties.
He added that the centres would be powered by solar energy and equipped with electronic libraries to support uninterrupted learning and research.
Mr Eno also said the initiative would be implemented in partnership with the state ministries of digital economy and sports, with recreational activities such as chess and scrabble introduced to improve mental development among youths.
Project is investment for future – Commissioner
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Ekerete Ekanem, described the project as a strategic investment in the future of young people in the state.
“The Arise Youth Skill Centre is not just a building but a transformational ecosystem designed to nurture talent, promote innovation, and build capacity among youths,” Mr Ekanem said.
He said the facility includes a multipurpose training hall, a digital library, an ICT hub, a creative and media centre, a youth enterprise kiosk, networking spaces, and recreational facilities.
According to him, the centres are designed to transform young people from job seekers into job creators while also addressing unemployment and promoting entrepreneurship.
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The commissioner added that social welfare officers would be deployed to provide counselling services and tackle issues such as drug abuse and other social challenges affecting youths.
Budgetary provisions
A review of the 2026 Akwa Ibom State approved budget by PREMIUM TIMES shows several allocations targeting youth empowerment and skill development initiatives.
Among them is a N10.5 billion provision under the Ministry of Youth Development for the construction of youth-friendly centres in 21 local government areas.
The budget also includes N25 million for skill acquisition training and seed capital for youths and women in rural communities under the Ministry of Agriculture.
In addition, N200 million was allocated for the establishment of a skill acquisition centre in Itu, while N100 million was earmarked for the remodelling and equipping of the Ikot Akpa Mba Skill Development Centre under the Akwa Ibom State Life Enhancement Agency.
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