The federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Africa Projects Development Centre (APDC) to revitalise youth development centres.

‎The minister of youth development, Ayodele Olawande, said in Abuja on Tuesday that the initiative was part of renewed efforts to reposition youth facilities for skills acquisition and innovation.

According to him, it also aligns with the government’s commitment to youth empowerment, job creation, and sustainable development.

‎Mr Olawande said that the signing ceremony marks a strategic partnership focused on the rehabilitation, equipping, and optimal utilisation of youth centres to empower young Nigerians with relevant vocational, digital, and entrepreneurial skills.

‎He noted that many youth centres nationwide have suffered prolonged neglect and emphasised that the partnership with APDC would introduce the much-needed technical expertise, private sector efficiency, and innovative funding models to restore them to functional standards.

‎The minister described the collaboration as a shared commitment to building a sustainable and inclusive youth development framework.

‎He explained that the partnership would cover project design, training and capacity building, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and resource mobilisation, with a central focus on revitalising the entres nationwide.

According to him, the partnership seeks to transform existing youth centres into modern, fit-for-purpose training and incubation hubs delivering vocational, technical, digital, and entrepreneurial skills aligned with high-demand sectors.

‎”The centres will also serve as platforms for innovation, mentorship, and market access for young Nigerians.

“The initiative will strengthen the ministry’s institutional capacity in donor engagement, project implementation, and results-based monitoring and evaluation, ensuring measurable impact and value for money.

‎”It also provides a practical platform for translating youth development policies into implementable, results-driven programmes that address unemployment, skills gaps, and limited access to finance,” he said.

‎In her welcome address, the permanent secretary, Maryam Kenshiro, described the partnership as a strategic step towards strengthening youth development structures and expanding opportunities for young Nigerians.

‎She noted that the collaboration would focus on transforming existing youth centres into functional training and incubation facilities.

The aim, according to her, is to deliver vocational, technical, digital, and entrepreneurial skills programmes tailored to current labour market demands.

‎Ms Kenshiro further stated 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 MoU provided 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, Chiji Ojukwu, said the partnership was the outcome of sustained engagement and a shared vision with the ministry to scale youth empowerment programmes nationwide.

He disclosed that APDC has empowered more than 9,000 youths and women through programmes in agriculture, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), environmental sustainability, and the creative sector.

‎Mr Ojukwu noted that the partnership would support national expansion, strengthen resource mobilisation efforts, and promote evidence-based youth policy development to ensure sustainable impact across the country.

(NAN)