…As Commission announces plans for entrepreneurial development centres across North Central, FCT
…NANS Zone C applauds Renewed Hope Agenda, seeks partnership on student empowerment
The North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with Nigerian students to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and economic productivity, declaring that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for youth development must translate into practical opportunities that enable young people to turn their ideas into viable enterprises.
The Commission also assured students across the North Central region of their inclusion in its development programmes, disclosing that sufficient funds had been set aside in its budget to support entrepreneurship training and related interventions.
Speaking at the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone C Summit, Comrade Solomon Adodo, Board Member representing the FCT on the NCDC Board, who represented the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Dr Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, said the Commission was determined to ensure that the creativity and innovative ideas of students were given the necessary support to translate into productivity.
The summit, which took place in Kwara State on Saturday, brought together student representatives from the six states of the North Central region and the FCT.
Adodo commended President Tinubu for establishing the regional development commissions, describing the initiative as a strategic intervention to address developmental challenges, strengthen regional growth and ensure that government programmes deliver tangible benefits at the grassroots.
He said the President’s vision for youth development recognises the enormous potential of Nigerian students and the need to create an enabling environment for their creativity, innovation and productive capacities to thrive.
According to him, the NCDC considers education a critical foundation for regional development and is committed to ensuring that students are carried along in the implementation of the President’s development agenda.
Referencing an essay titled Good Intentions Are Not Enough, Adodo stressed that good intentions must be supported by practical action and meaningful collaboration to achieve lasting results.
He said the Commission was determined to establish a stronger partnership with the student community to ensure that innovative ideas are nurtured and translated into productive ventures.
“It is time for us to reverse the old pattern and embrace a new order, to ensure that the innovations of students are not left to rot, but are given wings to fly and ascend from mere potential to productivity,” he said.
Adodo disclosed that sufficient funds had been set aside in the Commission’s budget to support entrepreneurship training and other interventions aimed at strengthening the economic capacity of young people.
He further revealed that the Commission was making plans to establish entrepreneurial development centres across the six states of the North Central region and the FCT to provide students and other young people with opportunities to acquire relevant skills, develop innovative ideas and build sustainable enterprises.
He encouraged students to look beyond academic qualifications and embrace entrepreneurship, innovation and wealth creation, stressing that Nigeria must transition towards a productive economy in which young people are not only equipped to seek employment but also empowered to create jobs and contribute to economic growth.
He noted that President Tinubu’s aspiration to build a productive Nigeria requires deliberate investment in the capabilities of young people, adding that the country must strengthen its capacity to produce goods and services for domestic consumption and export.
The NCDC Board Member further assured students that the Commission would maintain an open-door policy and work closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure that their needs and aspirations are reflected in its interventions.
He explained that the Commission has representation from each state in the region, providing an avenue for engagement, interaction and the identification of development priorities.
“The gates and doors of the North Central Development Commission are open to you. Our duty is not to isolate ourselves from you, but to interact with you and ensure that all your needs are met,” he said.
Meanwhile, NANS Zone C has applauded the student-focused initiatives of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing them as encouraging steps towards youth empowerment, economic inclusion and sustainable opportunities for Nigerian students.
The association also announced plans to seek a strategic partnership with the NCDC to establish a regional skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development programme for students across the North Central region.
Speaking on the proposed initiative, the Zone C Coordinator, Comrade Abiola Azeez Babatunde Adigun, emphasised the importance of investing in students’ skills and entrepreneurial capacities as a pathway to sustainable livelihoods and regional development.
The proposed programme is expected to cover Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states, as well as the FCT, with a focus on digital, vocational and technical skills, business development, mentorship and entrepreneurship training.
NANS Zone C said it would engage the Commission’s leadership to discuss the proposed collaboration, develop an implementation framework and identify areas of mutual interest in advancing student empowerment across the region.
The association expressed optimism that a strategic partnership with the NCDC, alongside sustained government interventions under the Renewed Hope Agenda, would create opportunities for students to become skilled professionals, innovative entrepreneurs and active contributors to Nigeria’s economic development.
