NDDC backs youth agripreneurship, civic empowerment initiatives to drive Niger Delta devt

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment and sustainable development in the region, pledging support for initiatives that promote agripreneurship, food security and civic responsibility.

The Commission said it would strengthen and expand the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises–Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project to create more than 38,250 new agricultural entrepreneurs across the region, while also backing Project New Nigeria, a civic sensitisation campaign aimed at promoting democratic participation among young people.

NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, made the commitment during a one-day workshop on Scaling Up Youth Agripreneurship for Food Systems Transformation, held at the Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja. The workshop, organised by the LIFE-ND project, focused on the role of youth-led agribusiness in revitalising Nigeria’s food systems.

Represented by the Acting Director of the NDDC Liaison Office in Abuja, Mrs Mary Nwaeke, Ogbuku highlighted the vast agricultural potential of the Niger Delta, while noting challenges such as food inflation, fragmented value chains, an ageing farming population, climate change impacts, and limited access to finance and modern technology.

He said these challenges also present opportunities to nurture a new generation of agripreneurs capable of transforming rural economies and strengthening national food security.

“We are not just building farms; we are building futures. We are not just cultivating crops; we are cultivating prosperity,” Ogbuku said, reiterating the Commission’s commitment to working with stakeholders to create an enabling environment for youth-driven agribusinesses.

He described the LIFE-ND programme as a transformative platform for unlocking economic opportunities for young people in the Niger Delta, noting that the NDDC’s US$30 million counterpart funding underscores its resolve to use agripreneurship as a tool for peace, stability and economic growth in the region.

At the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to food security and urged stronger collaboration with development partners to stabilise Nigeria’s food supply system.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, commended the NDDC, LIFE-ND and other partners for supporting government efforts to achieve food security, while praising the LIFE-ND National Project Coordinator for driving sustainability of the programme.

In a related development, the NDDC also pledged support for Project New Nigeria, a civic education and sensitisation initiative organised by the Foundation for Citizens Empowerment and Sensitisation on Civic Responsibility Initiative.

Speaking at the launch of the project at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ogbuku said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on youth empowerment, inclusive governance and rebuilding public trust in democratic institutions.

Represented by the Deputy Director, Education, Health and Social Services at the NDDC, Mrs Chioma Nwakwue, Ogbuku said the project also reflects the Commission’s shift from a transactional approach to a transformational development mandate that prioritises people, communities and sustainable impact.

He described the initiative as timely and strategic, noting that strengthening democratic participation, especially among young people, is critical to building a more inclusive and accountable Nigeria.

“The NDDC stands firmly beside initiatives that build civic responsibility, nurture leadership and empower the next generation,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Senator Mao Ohanbunwa, urged youths to recognise and utilise their power as active participants in Nigeria’s democratic process, while the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Owunari Georgewill, described the initiative as encouraging evidence of youth engagement in positive causes.

Earlier, the convener of Project New Nigeria, Mr Samuel Nzidee, commended the NDDC’s efforts towards the sustainable transformation of the Niger Delta, stressing that meaningful development in the region requires collaboration among all stakeholders.

Through the LIFE-ND agripreneurship programme and its support for civic empowerment initiatives, the NDDC said it is positioning youth development at the centre of its strategy to promote economic growth, food security and democratic participation in the Niger Delta.