PIND links Niger Delta youths to jobs, emerging career opportunities

The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has linked more than 200 young people in the Niger Delta 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, under the theme, “Youth Empowerment for a Sustainable Future,” focused on empowering young people through career pathways for economic development and sustainable peace in the region.

Participants from Bayelsa, Abia, Delta, Edo and Rivers states explored career opportunities spanning information and communication technology, agriculture and agribusiness, renewable energy, construction and technical trades, hospitality and the digital economy.

They were also introduced to jobs, internships, apprenticeships, mentorship, training and enterprise-support opportunities through a Career Opportunities and Support Fair.

Sam Ogbemi Daibo, executive director of PIND, said youth empowerment must go beyond training to creating systems that connect skills with economic 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.

“When young people can build sustainable livelihoods, they contribute to stronger local economies and more peaceful communities.”

The forum featured a “Voices of Impact” session, where beneficiaries of PIND’s Youth Employment Pathways programme shared experiences of moving from skills acquisition into employment and entrepreneurship.

Patrick Ekpe, PIND’s Youth Employment Pathways manager, said the success of the initiative would be measured by the opportunities participants secure after the event rather than attendance.

“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, “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 event also highlighted opportunities in the cassava value chain through PIND’s Women and Youth Economic Empowerment for Sustainable Livelihoods project, alongside employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in Nigeria’s renewable-energy sector.

Participants were further introduced to PIND’s NDLink platform, which provides continued access to jobs and career-development opportunities.

Otobotekere Cephas, a participant from Bayelsa State, said the forum provided practical direction and connections that are often 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,” Cephas said.

PIND said it would track commitments made by employers, mentors, training institutions and development organisations, with follow-up assessments to determine how the connections made at the forum translate into internships, mentorships, apprenticeships, jobs and enterprise-support opportunities.