The Abia State Government has thrown its weight behind the Federal Government’s Youth Economic Intervention and De-Radicalisation Programme (YEIDEP), with a target of registering and onboarding at least one million young people across the state.

YEIDEP was officially launched in Umuahia on Friday, August 21, 2026, as part of measures to address youth unemployment, poverty and the risk of radicalisation through business grants, skills development and other forms of economic assistance.

Representing Governor Alex Otti at the flag-off, a state commissioner said the programme would create opportunities for Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35 in a broad range of sectors.

These areas include agriculture, technology, renewable energy, tourism, entertainment, fashion and beauty, food, health and other creative enterprises.

The commissioner disclosed that more than 200,000 young people in Abia had already indicated interest in YEIDEP. At the national level, the Federal Government is targeting more than 20 million young Nigerians under the programme.

He encouraged young people who either operate existing businesses or have viable business ideas to register and access the available support.

The commissioner also called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations, student bodies, cooperatives and community groups to assist in mobilising eligible young people for the initiative.

He said Abia’s established entrepreneurial culture placed the state in a strong position to benefit from YEIDEP. According to him, many young people across the state are already active in areas such as fashion, manufacturing, agriculture, technology and entertainment.

However, he stressed that the programme’s impact should not be judged solely by the number of people registered.

Rather, he said its success should be reflected in the number of businesses established and expanded, the jobs created and the lives positively affected through the intervention.

Also speaking at the event, YEIDEP Coordinator-General, Kennedy Iyere, described the initiative as an economic intervention designed to tackle youth poverty and unemployment, as well as conditions that could expose young people to criminality and radicalisation.

Iyere called on state governments to place greater priority on youth development and ensure that eligible young people benefit from federal government interventions.

The Abia State Government subsequently assured the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the YEIDEP team of its cooperation in implementing the programme.

The state government said it would work with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that YEIDEP produces tangible economic opportunities for young people across Abia.

Source: msme Africa online