By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, is set to roll out yet another massive empowerment package for young people in the state, as the second batch of the flagship 1Youth2Skills Plus programme prepares for graduation.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Patrick Agha Mba, no fewer than 8,300 youths, who successfully completed the intensive entrepreneurial and vocational training under the programme, will be empowered with a financing package worth ₦3.5 billion to enable them to establish and expand their businesses.
The graduation and empowerment ceremony, he noted, is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at the International Conference Centre, Awka, where Governor Soludo is expected to personally hand over the financial support packages and unveil other initiatives aimed at creating a new generation of millionaires and smart entrepreneurs in Anambra.
Commissioner Agha Mba recalled that over 5,000 young people benefited from the first batch of the programme, which saw the disbursement of more than ₦2 billion in seed funding, alongside mentorship and cooperative support. He noted that the government is now scaling up the initiative to ensure that more youths are captured and adequately supported in their entrepreneurial journeys.
“This second batch will not just receive financial empowerment, but also intense mentorship, cooperative partnerships, and other strategic support mechanisms to help them thrive. Mr. Governor is determined to build the next set of millionaires in Anambra State,” the statement read in part.
Describing Governor Soludo as a “youth-friendly leader with a vision to make Anambra a hub of innovation, productivity, and prosperity,” the Commissioner expressed optimism that the 1Youth2Skills Plus programme would serve as a model for youth empowerment in Nigeria and beyond.
He further urged the beneficiaries to see the support not as a handout but as a challenge to innovate, grow, and become job creators themselves, thereby multiplying the impact across the state.
According to him, the graduation ceremony, which is expected to attract dignitaries, stakeholders, and families of the beneficiaries, will also showcase success stories from the first batch of the programme, highlighting how previous recipients have already built thriving businesses in agriculture, ICT, fashion, crafts, services, and other sectors.
Hon. Agha Mba further expressed gratitude to Governor Soludo for sustaining what he described as “a revolutionary investment in the future of Anambra youths,” while reiterating that the state remains on track to become a smart, prosperous homeland where young people are at the centre of development.
