The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, has offered to sponsor 100 youths from the state for intensive agricultural training as part of efforts to equip young people with relevant skills and encourage them to embrace innovation as a pathway to success in business and entrepreneurship.

Governor Eno announced the sponsorship package on Tuesday in Uyo, the state capital, while speaking as a Special Guest at the ninth edition of the Ibom Ignite Conference, a youth-focused entrepreneurship and business development gathering.

The Governor said the gesture was in line with his administration’s ARISE Agenda, which prioritises youth empowerment, job creation, agricultural development and human capacity building as critical pillars for the economic growth and prosperity of Akwa Ibom State.

He explained that the beneficiaries of the scheme would be trained at the prestigious CSS Global Integrated Farms in Gwagwalada, Nasarawa State, which is reputed to be one of the largest integrated agricultural training facilities in Africa with modern facilities in crop production, livestock, fishery and agro-processing.

According to Governor Eno, the training is designed to expose Akwa Ibom youths to modern, mechanised and commercially viable agricultural practices, beyond subsistence farming, and to equip them with the technical know-how to establish and manage profitable agribenterprises upon return to the state.

Pastor Eno used the opportunity to charge young people in the state to develop new skills, embrace innovation and constantly reinvent themselves in order to remain competitive and relevant in the ever-changing and highly dynamic business environment.

He noted that the world is moving fast with technological advancement and changing consumer trends, and any young entrepreneur who fails to adapt, innovate and upgrade his skills risks being left behind and losing his business to more dynamic competitors.

The Governor observed that many businesses fail not because of lack of capital alone, but because the owners refuse to learn new methods, adopt new technology and re-strategise in line with current market realities, stressing that continuous learning is key to sustainability.

He highlighted some of the youth empowerment programmes already being implemented by his administration, including the Ibom-LED Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme, the ARISE Youth Employment Scheme, grants for small and medium scale enterprises, and vocational training in various sectors.

Governor Eno stated that his administration has also created an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state through improved infrastructure, security, ease of doing business reforms and strategic partnerships with private sector players and development partners.

He assured the youths that his government will continue to invest in human capital development and will create more opportunities for them to acquire skills that will make them self-reliant, employers of labour and contributors to the state’s Gross Domestic Product.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Reinvent, Rethink, Reimagine, Redesign and Become,” Governor Eno said the theme was apt and timely, as it captures the essence of what every aspiring entrepreneur must do to succeed in today’s competitive economy.

He explained that to reinvent means to change one’s approach, to rethink means to critically examine one’s business model, to reimagine means to envision bigger possibilities, to redesign means to restructure for efficiency, and to become means to evolve into a better and more successful version of oneself.

The Governor urged participants at the conference to take the lessons from the various sessions seriously and to apply them in their respective businesses, assuring that with determination, discipline and innovation, they can build global brands from Akwa Ibom State.

Earlier in his welcome address, the convener of the Ibom Ignite Conference, Mr. Franklyn Ekpenyong, thanked Governor Umo Eno for his consistent support for youth development initiatives and for honouring the invitation to interact directly with young entrepreneurs in the state.

Ekpenyong noted that the conference, which is in its ninth edition, has over the years become a leading platform for inspiring, mentoring and equipping young people with the skills, knowledge, networks and resources needed to grow their businesses and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economic development.

He disclosed that this year’s edition brought together business experts, industry leaders, successful entrepreneurs and innovation specialists who shared practical insights on business growth, marketing, finance, technology adoption and scaling strategies with over 2,000 young participants drawn from across the 31 local government areas.

Some of the participants who spoke at the event commended Governor Umo Eno for his passion for youth empowerment and for offering to sponsor 100 youths for agricultural training, describing it as a practical demonstration of his commitment to food security and job creation.

They noted that agriculture remains a viable and lucrative sector with huge untapped potential in Akwa Ibom State, and that with proper training and support, many youths can become successful agripreneurs and help reduce unemployment and youth restiveness in the state.

A cross-section of stakeholders at the conference also lauded the state government’s focus on agriculture, describing the partnership with CSS Farms as strategic, given the farm’s track record in training thousands of Nigerian youths who are now doing well in various agricultural value chains.

They expressed optimism that the beneficiaries, upon completion of their training, would be supported with starter packs, access to land and funding to enable them to put their acquired knowledge into practice and become ambassadors for agricultural transformation in their respective communities.

The conference featured panel discussions, masterclasses, business pitching sessions and networking opportunities, with emphasis on how young people can leverage technology, social media and innovation to expand their market reach and increase profitability.

Governor Eno, while concluding his remarks, reiterated his administration’s determination to build a state where young people are not dependent on white-collar jobs alone but are equipped to create jobs, drive innovation and compete favourably with their peers across Nigeria and beyond.

He charged the youths to remain focused, disciplined and committed to their dreams, assuring that the Akwa Ibom State Government under his leadership will continue to provide the necessary support, mentorship and opportunities for them to succeed and become employers of labour.

The ninth Ibom Ignite Conference ended with a renewed call on young people in Akwa Ibom State to take advantage of the various empowerment windows provided by the state government and to embrace agriculture and other productive ventures as sustainable means of livelihood and wealth creation