PIND connects over 200 Niger Delta youths to jobs, mentors, training opportunities
The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has connected more than 200 young people from five Niger Delta states with employers, mentors, training providers and enterprise-support organisations as part of activities marking International Youth Day 2026.
The forum, held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, on Wednesday was organised under the theme, “youth empowerment for a sustainable future,” with a focus on “empowering youth through career pathways for economic development and sustainable peace in the Niger Delta.”
Young participants from Bayelsa, Abia, Delta, Edo and Rivers states attended the event alongside representatives of government institutions, private companies, academia, technical and vocational training institutions, host community development Trusts (HCDTs) and development organisations.
The participants explored career opportunities in information and communication technology, agriculture and agribusiness, renewable energy, construction and technical trades, hospitality and the digital economy.
They were also exposed to jobs, internships, apprenticeships, mentorship, training and enterprise-support opportunities through a career opportunities and support fair.
Sam Ogbemi Daibo, PIND executive director, said youth empowerment should go beyond skills acquisition and certification, stressing the need for systems that connect young people to jobs, markets and business opportunities.
“Young people do not need training that ends with a certificate. They need pathways that connect learning to jobs, markets, mentorship and enterprise opportunities,” Daibo said.
He added that young people who are able to build sustainable livelihoods would contribute to stronger local economies and more peaceful communities.
The event also featured a “voices of impact” session, where beneficiaries of PIND’s youth employment pathways programme shared their experiences of moving from skills acquisition to employment and entrepreneurship.
Patrick Ekpe, PIND’s youth employment pathways manager, said the success of the programme would be measured by the opportunities participants secure after the event rather than attendance alone.
“The measure of success is not simply the number of young people who attended. It is the number who leave with useful contacts, apply for opportunities, enter mentorships, secure internships or take concrete steps towards employment and entrepreneurship,” Ekpe said.
A panel session titled “From learning to earning: Connecting youth to real economic opportunities” examined employer expectations, workplace readiness, alternative career pathways and the role of youth employment in promoting sustainable peace.
The forum also highlighted opportunities in the cassava value chain through PIND’s Women and Youth Economic Empowerment for Sustainable Livelihoods project.
Participants were further introduced to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in Nigeria’s renewable-energy sector and PIND’s NDLink platform, which provides access to jobs and career-development opportunities.
Otobotekere Cephas, a youth participant from Bayelsa state, said the forum provided practical guidance and connections that he found lacking in conventional empowerment programmes.
“I came looking for clearer direction and left with people and organisations I can follow up with immediately. I now understand the skills employers require and the opportunities available in my area of interest,” he said.
PIND said it would track commitments made by participating employers, mentors, training institutions and development organisations.
Follow-up assessments will be conducted to determine how the connections established at the forum translate into internships, mentorships, apprenticeships, jobs and enterprise-support opportunities.
