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From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
More than 80 young Nigerians smiled home with startup grants and leadership certificates on Friday as the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, empowered them under the maiden Mustapha Abdullahi Energy Leadership Fellowship (MAELF) 2026.
The week-long residential fellowship, fully sponsored by Abdullahi through the DAM Foundation in partnership with the APC National Youth Wing, equipped participants with leadership skills, mentorship, professional networks and entrepreneurial support to prepare them for roles in Nigeria’s energy sector and national development.
Participants, selected from across the country, underwent intensive training in leadership, governance, energy policy, entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable development through lectures, policy dialogues, panel discussions, mentorship sessions, innovation workshops and networking engagements.
Top government officials and development experts who addressed the fellows included the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN; Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande Wisdom; former Senate President and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Engr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu; and APC National Youth Leader, Hon. Dayo Israel.
The fellowship climaxed with the presentation of certificates and empowerment packages worth over ₦17 million, including startup grants ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million awarded to outstanding fellows to support innovative businesses and community projects.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Abdullahi said the initiative was conceived to nurture ethical, innovative and visionary young leaders capable of driving Nigeria’s energy transition and contributing to national development.
“As I look around this hall today, I see not just graduates of a fellowship programme; I see ambassadors of hope, innovators in waiting, solution providers and future architects of Nigeria’s energy future,” he said.
He applauded the fellows for their discipline, resilience and willingness to build friendships across ethnic, regional and religious lines, describing them as proof that Nigerian youths possess enormous potential when given the right opportunities.
The ECN boss urged them to uphold integrity, excellence and selfless service, stressing that character remains the true foundation of lasting leadership.
According to him, the energy sector goes beyond electricity and infrastructure, serving as a catalyst for economic growth, poverty reduction, quality healthcare, education and sustainable national development.
He charged the fellows to become champions of clean energy, innovation and sustainable development, while sustaining the network created through the fellowship to deliver practical solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
Abdullahi said the successful maiden edition of MAELF marks the beginning of a long-term investment in developing a new generation of solution-driven leaders committed to transforming Nigeria’s energy sector and the nation at large.
