The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has launched a major youth empowerment drive, distributing tools and disbursing ₦280 million in grants to over 1,400 beneficiaries under the Renewed Hope Scale-Up Programme.
The initiative, unveiled in Jos, saw the distribution of 727 sets of equipment aimed at supporting small businesses and vocational enterprises across key sectors.
Items distributed include tricycles, catering kits, sewing and embroidery machines, welding and carpentry tools, grinding machines, auto mechanic toolboxes, POS machines with startup capital, makeup kits, and phone repair toolkits powered with solar systems.
In addition to the equipment, beneficiaries received financial support across four categories: 60 individuals got ₦1 million each, 140 received ₦500,000, 300 were granted ₦200,000, while 900 beneficiaries received ₦100,000 each.
Speaking at the event, Yilwatda described the programme as a direct reflection of the economic vision of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes job creation, youth empowerment, and poverty reduction.
He said the intervention was both a moral responsibility and a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future, recalling earlier agricultural initiatives he launched in 2018 that continue to yield results.
Yilwatda also highlighted the Federal Government’s broader plan to grow Nigeria into a one-trillion-dollar economy through large-scale infrastructure projects, including new seaports and airports, rail expansion from Lagos to Kano, and major road corridors such as the Sokoto–Badagry highway and the Calabar–Lagos coastal road.
He urged beneficiaries to embrace entrepreneurship and make productive use of the support provided, assuring them of continued access to funding through the Bank of Industry and export training opportunities via the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
The APC chairman further announced plans for a monitoring and evaluation framework to track beneficiaries’ progress and identify top performers for additional support through the Ministry of Finance Incorporated.
Representing the Plateau State Governor, Deputy Governor Mrs. Josephine Piyo commended the initiative, describing it as a demonstration of impactful and people-focused leadership.
She urged beneficiaries to use the resources wisely, stressing that discipline and commitment are critical to building successful enterprises.
The Renewed Hope Scale-Up Programme is expected to boost grassroots economic development and strengthen youth participation in Nigeria’s growing small and medium-scale enterprise sector.
