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Farming for the Future: Plateau Flags Off Youth Agricultural Empowerment at BARC Farms
A new era has dawned for Plateau State’s youth as over 1,000 young men and women officially embarked on a transformative journey under the Plateau Youth Agricultural Empowerment Program (PYAEP). Launched by the administration of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, the initiative aims to reposition agriculture as a tool for wealth creation, dignity, and sustainable livelihoods.
The onboarding event, which began with a convergence at Government College Jos, saw the selected beneficiaries transported to BARC Farms—a once-moribund agricultural estate now revived to host the program’s first phase.
Out of over 10,000 applicants across the state’s 17 local government areas, 1,000 were chosen based on merit. Each participant received one hectare of land within the 4,500-hectare BARC Farms site, alongside inputs such as seedlings, fertilizers, pesticides, and mechanized support—all fully funded by the government.
Mr. Yari Kumchi, Lead Focal Person of the program, said the initiative is designed to make agriculture attractive and profitable for the youth.
“This program is about reintroducing agriculture to the youth in a way that is attractive, engaging, and inspiring,” Kumchi said. “We want the youth to see agriculture not as a fallback but as a first choice — a profitable and respected career. Agriculture is the future, and the youth must lead.”
He highlighted the economic urgency driving the project:
“Employment opportunities are scarce. There are hardly any jobs left anywhere. But agriculture? It can employ all the youths in Plateau State — and beyond. Our goal is simple: start with 1,000 hectares, cultivate maize, rice, and soybeans, and prove that farming can sustain lives and communities.”
“Visit the farm and you’ll see the enthusiasm. You’ll see potential. That’s why we’re doing this — to create a future where youth can stay in their communities and thrive.”
Speaking on behalf of the governor, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Musa Ibrahim Ashom, passionately emphasized the administration’s unwavering commitment to youth empowerment.
“The governor has made it clear: the youth are the centerpiece of his administration,” Ashom said. “You are at the beginning, the middle, and the end of everything we do.”
In a major policy reveal, Ashom announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Plateau State Government and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to upgrade the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Heipang, to an international cargo terminal.
“We are upgrading Yakubu Gowon Airport to an international cargo airport. This means the produce you farm here at BARC Farms will find buyers not only in Nigeria but across the world.”
“There is no grain you produce that won’t be bought. Off-takers are lined up — ready to buy maize, rice, soybeans, and more. Plateau is fast becoming Nigeria’s agricultural hub.”
Ashom emphasized the inclusive and apolitical nature of the project:
“This initiative is not political. It’s intentional. It’s about creating wealth — deliberate, sustainable wealth for our youths. Once the youths are empowered, Plateau State is empowered.”
“As you go to BARC Farms, remember: *we have a new sheriff in town.* The government is serious, and so must you be.”
The event also featured remarks from Hon. Hitler Joshua Pajok, Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Mobilization and Engagement, who provided insight into the sustainability and growth strategy of the initiative.
“This is the start of something big,” Pajok affirmed. “It’s not just about one farm or one season. We plan to expand this to the Central and Southern Zones of Plateau State in the coming years.”
Pajok outlined a simple yet empowering model: government provides startup inputs, the youth participate in farming the land, and after harvest, production costs are deducted while the profits become seed capital for future independent ventures.
> “For 1,000 youths to cultivate 1,000 hectares is a bold step. Government is providing inputs such as seedlings, herbicides, pesticides, and machines. After harvest, the government will recover the cost of production. The remaining profit becomes each youth’s capital — so they can return to their local governments and reinvest in agriculture.”
He further shared the long-term goal:
“The plan is to make this an annual program. By the end of His Excellency’s tenure, we aim to empower between 15,000 and 20,000 youths to become fully independent farmers.”
“This provides an income stream beyond degrees or certificates. It’s real work, with real results.”
Importantly, Pajok stressed the transparency of the selection process:
“We selected youths across all local governments, irrespective of indigene or non-indigene status. It was an open call. Everyone had a fair chance, and the final 1,000 were chosen purely on merit.”
Ensuring the buy-in of the host community was critical to the project’s rollout. Mr. Ishaku Jilensam, Program Manager of the Plateau Agricultural Development Program (PADP), described their pre-launch dialogue efforts:
“We engaged everyone — youth, women, traditional leaders, farmers, and herders. The success of this program depends on community support.”
“We allocated spaces for locals to pursue their own business activities, installed security lights, and stationed personnel to ensure peace. Already, over 1,000 hectares have been cultivated, with more than 500 hectares planted with maize, soybeans, and rice.”
“The youth are eager. They’re not just working — they’re dreaming again. That’s what this is about.”
As buses departed Government College Jos carrying youths to the sprawling fields of BARC Farms, the mood was electric. For many, this marks more than just a farming initiative — it’s a turning point.
A new generation is rising — with mechines roaring, purpose in heart, and a government finally backing their potential.
First HoldCo has shifted to a liberal dividend policy that seeks to distribute at least 60 per cent of its annual post-tax profit as dividends.
The board of directors of the bank holding company adopted the policy at a meeting on Tuesday, the group stated in a regulatory filing on Thursday, underscoring its resolve to prioritise shareholder returns over retaining most of its profits in the business to drive growth.
First HoldCo said the move highlights its directors’ confidence in its earnings capacity, enhanced capital position, improving asset quality, diversified revenue streams, and robust outlook for sustained profitability and growth. The move offers succour to shareholders who had to endure the last financial year without dividends—the first time in many years—after a massive bad-loan loss provision obliterated much of the cash that could have gone into rewarding shareholders.
The financial institution set aside ₦748.1 billion to cover problem loans on its books for 2025, after the Central Bank of Nigeria, in the spirit of international best practices, ordered lenders still carrying forbearance loans from the Covid-19 era to clear their balance sheets of toxic assets.
Profit for the year fell to ₦147.3 billion from ₦663.5 billion, following the provision.
“At First HoldCo, we decided to clean house properly. We took a huge one-time hit of ₦748 billion to admit old bad loans instead of pretending they do not exist,” Femi Otedola, the chairman of the banking group, said in January.
“That is why profit looks like it crashed by 92 per cent. A painful headline, but it is a serious long-term move,” he added.
Regulation also held back peers like United Bank for Africa and Access Holdings from distributing dividends to shareholders for the 2025 financial year on that score.
READ ALSO: Otedola acquires 1.78 billion First HoldCo shares, lifts stake to 26%
“Over the last two years, we have undertaken difficult but necessary actions to strengthen governance, clean up the balance sheet, restore confidence, rebuild capital, and reposition the group for long-term growth,” Mr Otedola said in the Thursday statement.
“We are now beginning to see the benefits of those strategic decisions. As performance continues to improve across our businesses, it is only appropriate that our shareholders participate more directly in the value being created.”
Revenue in the first half of 2026 rose 16.7 per cent to ₦1.9 trillion. Pre-tax profit ascended to ₦653.5 billion from ₦356.1 billion, while after-tax profit jumped to ₦526.3 billion from ₦283.8 billion.
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Nigeria should shape global AI rules, not merely adopt them, expert says amid WAICO talks – Technology Times
Nigeria should leverage its growing reputation in responsible artificial intelligence (AI) governance to help shape global AI rules rather than merely adopting standards developed by other countries, Dotun Adeoye, Co-founder of AI in Nigeria, has said as the Federal Government weighs China’s invitation to join a new international AI governance body.
Adeoye made the call amid discussions over Nigeria’s possible participation as a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), an intergovernmental organisation proposed by China to promote international cooperation on AI governance.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, the AI policy expert said Nigeria’s progress in developing AI governance frameworks places it in a strong position to influence international discussions at a time when global competition over AI standards is intensifying.
Rather than assuming a passive role in emerging international AI institutions, he argued, Nigeria should actively contribute to shaping global governance frameworks while ensuring every international partnership aligns with the country’s strategic interests.
“We should not just be takers; we should be leading,” Adeoye said. “Nigeria is already leading in Africa in terms of responsible AI, and that leadership should translate into a stronger voice in shaping how AI is governed globally.”
“We should not just be takers; we should be leading,” Adeoye said. “Nigeria is already leading in Africa in terms of responsible AI, and that leadership should translate into a stronger voice in shaping how AI is governed globally.”
WAICO: Nigeria’s AI governance credentials
According to Adeoye, Nigeria has established many of the institutional and regulatory foundations required to become a credible voice in international AI governance.
He cited the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy as key pillars supporting responsible AI development, noting that both government institutions and private sector organisations are increasingly embedding AI governance into their operations.
“When you look at the NDPA 2023, we are already strongly regulating and governing AI from a data protection perspective,” he said. “You also see many enterprise organisations taking AI governance much more seriously.”
He added that Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, developed through broad stakeholder engagement, provides a long-term roadmap for AI innovation, governance and capacity building.
National interest should guide WAICO decision
While describing China’s invitation as significant, Adeoye said the Federal Government was right to subject the proposal to careful review before making any commitment.
His comments align with the position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has said relevant government institutions are evaluating the proposal before Nigeria decides whether to join the organisation.
According to Adeoye, Nigeria should assess every international AI partnership through the lens of national interest, ensuring that participation strengthens rather than compromises the country’s sovereignty and regulatory priorities.
“Nigeria participated as an observer, while several African countries signed up,” he said. “But it is right for Nigeria to carefully evaluate every opportunity to promote responsible AI governance without compromising our sovereign interests or the rule of law.”
AI governance becoming geopolitical battleground
Adeoye also warned that AI governance is rapidly emerging as a new arena of geopolitical competition among major global powers, including China, the United States and the European Union.
As Africa’s largest economy and one of the continent’s leading digital markets, he said Nigeria should expect increasing interest from competing international partners seeking collaboration on AI policy and innovation.
“Because of Nigeria’s importance, different global powers, from the West to the Global South, will continue to court us,” he said. “But I am confident that those making these decisions understand the changing global landscape and Nigeria’s unique priorities.”
He stressed that maintaining strategic independence would require close collaboration among government, academia, industry and civil society to ensure AI policies are informed by local expertise and national development objectives.
Local expertise supports leadership ambitions
Adeoye expressed confidence that Nigeria possesses the technical expertise required to sustain its leadership in responsible AI, citing findings from the country’s AI Landscape Report that highlight a growing community of researchers, innovators and policy specialists.
“Our research shows there is significant AI expertise in Nigeria,” he said. “Being closely involved in this ecosystem, I am confident the country is moving in the right direction.”
WAICO signals new phase in global AI governance
The debate comes after 29 countries signed an agreement in Shanghai on July 16, 2026, establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), a China-backed intergovernmental body designed to promote international cooperation on AI governance and develop global AI standards.
Headquartered in Shanghai, WAICO is expected to play a prominent role in shaping AI governance, particularly among countries in the Global South, at a time when governments worldwide are competing to influence the rules governing one of the world’s fastest-growing technologies.
For Nigeria, the invitation comes as the Federal Government accelerates efforts to build a domestic AI ecosystem through the implementation of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, stronger data governance under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, and broader investments in AI research, innovation and digital skills.
As global AI governance enters a new phase, Adeoye believes Nigeria has an opportunity to move beyond adopting international standards to helping define them.
“Nigeria has built credible foundations for responsible AI,” he said. “The next step is ensuring that our voice helps shape the global conversation, not merely follow it.”
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