Plateau State Government and the Bank of Industry (BOI) have committed a combined ₦4 billion to a youth empowerment fund aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs and creating opportunities for economic independence among youths across the state.
Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Musa Ibrahim Ashoms, disclosed this on Wednesday while representing Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang at the 2026 International Youth Day celebration organised by the Plateau Youth Council (PYC) at Crispan Hotel, Rayfield, Jos.
Ashoms said the state government and BOI would each provide ₦2 billion for the intervention, urging young people to take advantage of the opportunities the fund would create.
He assured youths that access to the intervention would not be influenced by political affiliation, ethnicity or location, stressing that qualified young people across the three senatorial zones would have the opportunity to benefit.
“Neither political affiliation nor ethnic background would determine who benefits from the intervention,” Ashoms stated.
He said the initiative was designed to support young entrepreneurs, strengthen existing businesses and enable young people to become financially independent and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economy.
The commissioner urged youths to focus on building sustainable businesses and livelihoods rather than relying solely on government employment.
Ashoms also highlighted other interventions by the Mutfwang administration, disclosing that more than 100 Plateau youths had been sponsored to study in the United States and India.
He added that scholarship funding had been increased by 200 per cent as part of efforts to expand educational opportunities for young people in the state.
On sports development, Ashoms said the Jos Township Stadium was undergoing remodelling to encourage greater youth participation in sports and position the state to host major sporting events.
He said the project would increase the stadium’s capacity from about 4,000 to 12,500, adding that Plateau would soon host the Super Six competition of the Nigerian Professional Football League.
He called on youths to turn out in large numbers to support the competition and take advantage of the opportunities that sports could provide.
Ashoms commended Plateau youths for their support for the Mutfwang administration since its inception, describing them as an important demographic in the development of the state.
Earlier, PYC Chairman, Gongden Panan, said the International Youth Day celebration should serve as more than an annual gathering, describing young people as critical drivers of development.
Panan said the theme of the celebration, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” reflected Plateau’s diverse ethnic, religious and cultural composition, but noted that young people across the state shared common aspirations.
He urged government, development partners, the private sector, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to deepen investment in youth employment, skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation and empowerment.
Panan also called on youths to prepare for emerging opportunities by acquiring relevant digital and technological skills.
Responding to concerns over divisions among young people, he urged youths to place the common interest above political, ethnic and religious affiliations.
“My political colour should not be the issue. My tribe should not be the issue. My religion should not be the issue,” Panan said.
He said what mattered was the contribution of young people to peace, development and security in their communities, urging youth groups across the 17 local government areas to work together for the common good.
Former PYC Chairman and former Director-General of the Plateau State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, Dr Fabong Jamcheng, in his keynote address, urged young people to stop regarding age alone as sufficient qualification for leadership or political appointments.
Jamcheng encouraged youths to build their knowledge, skills and character, participate actively in governance and make political choices based on competence rather than ethnicity, religion or short-term benefits.
He stressed that freedom came with responsibility, urging young people to prepare themselves for leadership instead of waiting to be handed political positions.
The event attracted more than 1,200 youths from the 17 local government areas of Plateau State, including local government, district and ward youth leaders.
