At the 2025 International Youth Day Celebration in Boji-Boji Owa, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, speakers and stakeholders praised the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for preparing young people in the region for the future through its human capital development initiatives.
They also stressed the importance of youths embracing technology, skills acquisition, and innovation as pathways to sustainable development and social progress.
Welcoming participants, the Executive Director of Finance at NDDC, Mrs. Josephine Ejereye, explained that the Youth Day celebration was aimed at promoting cooperation through technology and partnerships.
She encouraged young people to use the lessons from the event to make positive impacts in their communities, adding that the commission was committed to creating more opportunities for youths in the region.
United Nations Peace Ambassador and Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Talent Development, Ambassador Ugagaoghene Ogheneyole, praised the NDDC board led by Barrister Chiedu Ebie. He described the current leadership as “a truly interventionist body” delivering people-oriented projects and quality infrastructure across the region.
He urged young people to embrace digital skills such as computer literacy, artificial intelligence, data science, coding, audiovisual design, UI/UX, and digital marketing, which are in high demand across industries today.
Ogheneyole further called on the NDDC to expand its focus beyond physical infrastructure by investing more in human capital through digital incubation centres, grants, and venture capital for youth-driven innovations.
He compared the model to Silicon Valley, which became a trillion-dollar hub not only because of ideas, but because of conscious investment in young innovators. He stressed that if NDDC and other stakeholders invest in the dreams of young people, the region would benefit through job creation, GDP growth, and stronger markets.
Pledging his personal commitment, Ogheneyole offered to volunteer his services for free to help the NDDC design a roadmap for youth-driven innovation. “As a Niger Delta youth, I am ready to volunteer and work with the NDDC to create practical initiatives that will drive change. Let us become the change we want to see,” he said.
In his paper titled “Youth as Frontiers of Positive Change in the Niger Delta,”the Executive Director of the Centre for Core Values, Leadership and Orientation, Barrister Eugene Uzum, described Niger Delta youths as key to sustainable development.
He explained that with over 54 percent of Delta State’s estimated 5.9 million population being youths, the demographic advantage could stimulate massive growth if they are empowered with the right opportunities.
Uzum outlined four pillars for meaningful youth contribution: empowerment, innovation, community engagement, and sustainable development. He emphasized that empowerment through education, reorientation, and access to financial and technical support must come first.
He also noted that many youths in the region are already using technology, entrepreneurship, and creativity to solve local problems. He highlighted examples in renewable energy, environmental conservation, entrepreneurship, and civic responsibility as proof that youth-led initiatives are driving change.
While acknowledging challenges like insecurity, corruption, and limited resources, Uzum insisted that with proper support, young people could transform the region. He encouraged youths to take personal responsibility for their progress, saying: “Going far in life is not determined by where you start from. Life is about what you put into it. Nobody owes you a living.”
The International Youth Day event ended with engaging discussions on repositioning Niger Delta youths as leaders, innovators, and agents of sustainable development.
