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From Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
Stakeholders from the Niger Delta region under the auspices of Niger Delta Progressives Alliance (NDPA), have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s empowerment schemes, highlighting how young people across the region can access federal government programmes and policies designed to improve their lives.
They spoke over the weekend during the “Nigeria at 65: The Future Is Here” strategic engagement held in Asaba, Delta State, with the theme “Empirical Perspective on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Offers in Two Years: A Strategic Engagement of Niger Deltans on Accessibility.”
The Convener of NDPA, Amb. Nse Victor Udoh, said the initiative was driven by the realisation that many people in the region are not benefiting from federal interventions—not because they are excluded, but because they lack the right information.
“For instance, in the 2024/2025 NELFUND student loan programme, 65 percent of beneficiaries are from the North, while 35 percent are from the South—and most of that 35 percent are from the South-West.
“It’s not that our people were denied; they simply didn’t apply. Many don’t even believe these opportunities are real,” Udoh explained.
He said the group aims to equip citizens with the knowledge to access government programmes directly, without middlemen or illegal charges.
Udoh added that increased participation in initiatives such as the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) would strengthen the region’s economic base and foster peace.
“When people are economically empowered, communities become more secure and stable,” he noted, adding, “That’s why we’re taking this message from state to state across the Niger Delta.”
He described the gathering as a landmark reflection on Nigeria’s journey at 65 and a call to action for the Niger Delta to embrace accessibility and empowerment under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This summit is not a ceremony but a movement, one that proves the future is no longer a distant promise but a present reality unfolding before our eyes,” Udoh declared.
“The Student Loan Programme, Agricultural Grants, the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund, and the CNG revolution are no longer theories but tools placed in the hands of Nigerians, especially the youth.”
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, ThankGod Harry Trakiriowei, lauded President Tinubu for opening new windows of opportunity for Nigerians through federal empowerment schemes.
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He urged participants to take advantage of the various intervention programmes and cascade the information to their communities.
“Pay attention to all that will be brought to your attention today and take them home so that people in your communities who may not know about these initiatives can benefit,” Governor Oborevwori said.
Also speaking, Engr. Jator Abido, National Coordinator of the Niger Delta Youth Council Worldwide and Paramount Ruler of Niger Delta Communities in Northern Nigeria, said the partnership among the Niger Delta Progressives Alliance, Niger Delta Youth Council, and Pipeline Infrastructure Company Limited was aimed at deepening awareness of federal empowerment initiatives such as SMEDAN, NELFUND, and the CNG project.
Abido highlighted federal efforts to support the region’s growth, including the award of pipeline surveillance contracts to companies such as Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), which he described as deeply committed to the development of the Niger Delta.
“We are reorienting our people to understand that these policies are not fraudulent, but genuine opportunities to uplift lives.
From student loans to small business funding and export support, these programmes are designed for everyone,” Abido stated.
“More northerners are taking advantage of these programmes than southerners,” he said, adding, “That’s why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to educate our people about these initiatives—NELFUND, SMEDAN, and other presidential projects—and how they can change lives.”
“PINL has played a major role in ending pipeline vandalism and oil theft,” he said. “Their operations have helped increase oil production from under one million barrels per day to nearly two million, while creating thousands of jobs for youths and funding scholarships, training, and skills acquisition programmes.”
In his goodwill message, High Chief Thompson Foye, representing Pipeline Infrastructure Company Limited, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda through corporate social responsibility initiatives focused on education, training, and youth empowerment.
“We have employed over 50,000 youths in the Niger Delta region and continue to offer scholarships and regular stakeholder engagements to strengthen community relations,” Foye said.
The Secretary-General of NDPA and host of the event, Felix Ejenavi, said the sensitisation drive—which began in Rivers State—will extend to all nine states of the Niger Delta.
