By Duchess Ifeoluwa
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has intensified the party’s youth empowerment drive with the disbursement of tools and cash grants worth ₦280 million to over 1,400 beneficiaries under the Renewed Hope Scale-Up Programme.
The intervention, which took place in Jos, Plateau State, saw the distribution of 727 units of vocational equipment and enterprise support tools aimed at stimulating small-scale businesses and enhancing economic self-reliance among young Nigerians.
Items distributed at the event included 20 tricycles, 33 catering sets, 26 embroidery machines with pressing irons, 172 sewing machines, 75 welding and fabrication toolboxes, and 100 auto mechanic toolkits.
Others were 75 carpentry toolboxes, 110 Point of Sale (POS) machines—each paired with ₦100,000 startup capital—20 make-up kits, and 71 phone repair toolkits supported with solar panels and cloud-powered systems.
In addition to the equipment, beneficiaries received structured financial grants totalling ₦280 million.
Under the disbursement framework, 60 individuals received ₦1 million each, 140 beneficiaries got ₦500,000 each, 300 received ₦200,000, while 900 beneficiaries were supported with ₦100,000 each to boost enterprise take-off and expansion.
Speaking at the ceremony, Yilwatda described the initiative as a practical expression of the Renewed Hope Agenda, anchored on job creation, poverty reduction, and inclusive economic growth.
He noted that the programme reflects a deliberate strategy to empower young people at the grassroots and position them as drivers of national development.
The APC chairman also recalled his previous interventions in agriculture, citing a farmer-support scheme he initiated in 2018, which he said continues to yield positive outcomes.
He stressed that sustainable development begins with individual commitment to community upliftment.
Expressing gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Yilwatda described his emergence as APC National Chairman as an act of divine grace and pledged to utilise the office to expand opportunities for Nigerians.
He further outlined the Federal Government’s broader economic blueprint, which includes infrastructure expansion such as rail connectivity from Lagos to Kano, new seaports and airports, and major road projects including the Sokoto–Badagry highway and the Calabar–Lagos coastal corridor.
According to him, these projects are designed to unlock economic productivity and position Nigeria as a leading force on the continent.
Yilwatda urged beneficiaries to take entrepreneurship seriously, noting that small-scale ventures have the potential to evolve into globally competitive enterprises.
He assured them of continued institutional support through agencies such as the Bank of Industry and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, particularly in the areas of financing and export capacity development.
He also disclosed plans for a monitoring and evaluation framework to track beneficiaries’ progress, with top performers expected to receive additional support through agencies like the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).
Representing the Plateau State Governor at the event, Deputy Governor Josephine Piyo commended the initiative, describing it as a demonstration of impactful and people-oriented leadership.
She urged beneficiaries to make prudent use of the resources provided, stressing discipline and focus as critical to business success.
Piyo expressed optimism that the programme would nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs capable of driving economic transformation both at the state and national levels.
