The Plateau Youth Agricultural Empowerment Programme (P-YAEP) has officially commenced the orientation and project briefing for 500 successfully shortlisted beneficiaries, signaling a major step forward in the Plateau State Government’s commitment to youth empowerment through agriculture. The programme is designed to equip young people with the skills, resources, and opportunities needed to participate actively in the agricultural value chain while contributing to food security and economic growth across the state.

The orientation exercise, held at the Azi Nyako Youth Centre in Jos, brought together beneficiaries from various local government areas, government officials, youth leaders, project managers, and stakeholders in the agricultural sector. The gathering served as an opportunity to familiarize participants with the objectives of the programme, the expectations of beneficiaries, and the responsibilities required to ensure the successful implementation of their agricultural projects.

Speaking during the event, officials emphasized that P-YAEP is more than just an empowerment scheme, describing it as a strategic investment in the future of Plateau’s youth. Beneficiaries were encouraged to approach the programme with dedication, discipline, and a commitment to learning, noting that agriculture remains one of the most viable pathways for job creation, wealth generation, and sustainable development in the state.

Project managers also used the briefing session to provide detailed insights into the operational framework of the initiative, including project timelines, monitoring mechanisms, and support structures available to participants. They highlighted the importance of accountability, transparency, and proper resource management, stressing that the success of the programme depends largely on the commitment and active participation of the beneficiaries.

As the programme moves into its implementation phase, expectations remain high that the initiative will create meaningful opportunities for young people, boost agricultural productivity, and strengthen rural economies across Plateau State. With 500 youths now set to embark on their agribusiness journey, P-YAEP is being widely regarded as a bold and practical step toward reducing unemployment and fostering a new generation of agricultural entrepreneurs in the state.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says it has airlifted 17,347 Nigerian pilgrims from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

NAHCON, in an update on the airlift operation, also said that nine states had completed the return of their pilgrims.

The commission listed the states that have completed their return airlift as Nasarawa, Gombe, Kogi, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Jigawa, Kwara, and Plateau.

It said that Lagos, Kebbi and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had gone above 65 per cent to 80 per cent.

“The return airlift of Nigerian pilgrims has entered its tenth day and is progressing steadily in line with return leg slots allocation secured by each of the official air carriers.

“As of the time of this report, a total of 17, 347 have been transported from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Nigeria.

“Some states have successfully concluded the return journey of their pilgrims, while others have reached various stages of completion,” the commission said.

The commission, however, said some states had yet to commence their return flights following NAHCON’s first-in, first-out policy enforced on each airline.

“For instance, pilgrims from the South-South states departed Nigeria on May 19, 2026, while Kano pilgrims commenced their outbound airlift from Nigeria on May 16, 2026 and Kaduna pilgrims on 14th May, 2026.

“States yet to begin the return journey are Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara states, as well as the Armed Forces.

“As for Adamawa and Taraba states that began their airlift fairly early, their official carrier is still airlifting its allocated pilgrims proportionate to its secured airlift slots,” NAHCON said.

According to the commission, the return schedule is determined by the airlift slots secured by the designated airlines.

It advised the designated airlines to take measures to complete the airlift within the agreed 19-day window, which was planned to cover the period for pilgrims’ accommodation, feeding, transport, and medical services.

“As backed by contractual agreements, the commission will implement a contingency rescue plan if it becomes obvious that any airline cannot meet up with the schedule,” the commission said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman and CEO of NAHCON, Ismail Yusuf, assured all pilgrims, their families and the general public of the timely return of every Nigerian pilgrim.

Mr Yusuf said that all Nigerian pilgrims would be airlifted back home well before the Saudi deadline for departure, which falls on the 15th of Muharram, the Gregorian date of which is June 30.

“NAHCON appreciates the cooperation of pilgrims and their families, the airlines and all stakeholders, and will continue to provide regular updates on the return airlift operations,” he said.

(NAN)