News
Plateau Government Graduates 450 Youths in Financial Literacy and Digital Skills Training
In a bid to strengthen youth entrepreneurship and business sustainability, the Plateau State Government has graduated 450 young entrepreneurs following a comprehensive financial literacy and digital marketing skills training program.
The initiative, organized by the Plateau State Microfinance Development Agency (PLASMIDA) in collaboration with the Plateau Youth Council (PYC), held its closing ceremony on October 15, 2025, at Eliel Centre, Jos. Themed “Plateau Youths Mastering Financial Literacy and Digital Skills for Business,” the program received support from GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) and First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
Representing Governor Caleb Mutfwang, the Secretary to the State Government, Arch. Samuel Nanchang Jatau, described the initiative as a move toward “liberation and economic renewal” for Plateau youths.
“This means bigger opportunities and fulfilled promises,” Jatau said. “During the campaigns, Governor Mutfwang promised to give youths a new lease of life, and today’s empowerment shows that the government is walking that talk. In the coming months, more initiatives, including grants and entrepreneurship programs, will be launched to boost youth participation in the economy.”
He also disclosed that the state government is taking proactive measures to enhance security through youth-focused recruitment into Operation Rainbow, with 1,450 new recruits set to begin training to support security efforts across Plateau communities.
“Security is not entirely in the hands of state governments, but Plateau is taking proactive steps. We’ve trained 600 personnel previously and will now train 1,450 more to complement federal security agencies,” Jatau stated, adding that Jos is steadily regaining its reputation as one of the safest cities in northern Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Bomkam Ali Wuyep, Director General of PLASMIDA, said the program represents another milestone in the state’s drive to promote entrepreneurship and reduce poverty.
“We trained 450 youth entrepreneurs drawn from the 17 local government areas of Plateau on financial literacy and digital skills to prepare them for today’s evolving business environment,” Wuyep explained. “Our aim is to ensure sustainability, scalability, and economic prosperity across the state.”
He added that the training, which covered business management, access to finance, and digital marketing, was designed to reduce business failure rates among small enterprises.
“We expect to see thriving businesses and increased job creation. We’ve linked participants with financial institutions like FCMB to enable them to access MSME-friendly products. Those who met requirements have already received POS machines to support their operations,” he said.
The Plateau Youth Council Chairman, Mr. Panan Gongden Dapar, commended the state government and its partners for what he described as a “timely and transformative” intervention.
“This program comes at a time when many youths lack productive engagement,” he noted. “Training 450 young Plateau entrepreneurs on financial and digital literacy will undoubtedly impact the state’s economy in the years to come.”
Dapar also encouraged the beneficiaries to extend the knowledge gained to others within their communities to ensure the benefits reach the grassroots.
The training aligns with the Mutfwang administration’s Seven-Point Policy Thrust, particularly its focus on education and human capacity development, aimed at empowering citizens, creating jobs, and reducing poverty across Plateau State.
Head coach of Delta Queens Hockey Club, Ade Jacobs, has expressed confidence that his team will reach the final of the ongoing 2026 Nigeria Hockey Super League in Abuja
Mr Jacobs stated this during an interview after their second match on Sunday in Abuja.
He said his team remains focused on reaching the final stage of the league despite playing out a draw in their second match. .
Mr Jacobs said that though his players were below their usual standard, he was confident they would improve in subsequent games.
“It has been fine so far. We won our first match 5-0, and this second match ended in a 1-1 draw. Well, it’s one of those things that happen sometimes in matches because most of my girls looked a little bit heavy. I don’t know why.
“We intend to improve on that. In our next match, against I-G Babes on Tuesday by 11 a.m . They will come out better, and I can assure you of that,” he said.
The Delta Queens coach reiterated the team’s ambition, recalling their third-place finish in the 2025 Nigeria Hockey Super League.
“We are determined to go a step further this season.Last season, we finished in third place. This season, our target is to play in the final match . We just have to be in the final stage,” he said.
Mr Jacobs also commended the organisers for the smooth conduct of the competition
“So far, so good. They are doing well,” he added.
Delta Queens opened their campaign in impressive fashion with a convincing 5-0 victory over Yobe Desert Queens in their opening match before settling for a 1-1, against South West Hockey Club of Lagos in their second fixture.
A total of seven women’s teams comprises Kada Queens, Plateau Queens, Delta Queens, Yobe Desert Queens, IGP Babes, South West, and Edo Queens.
Kada Queens are the reigning women’s champions, while Kada Stars are the defending champions in the men’s category.
The 2026 Nigeria Hockey Super League which commenced on June 26 will end on July 5 at the National Hockey Pitch of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
(NAN)
The Certified True Copy of the Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress has emerged.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Isa H. Dashen at the Lokoja Judicial Division, effectively sets aside a December 10, 2025 judgment that had previously compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission to register the party.
The court said the prior judgment was nullified because it affected the legal rights of the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the logo used by the NDC but was never joined as a party to the original lawsuit.
Recall that the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, on Saturday said that the commission was waiting to obtain the official paperwork before finalizing its response.
“We have applied for the Certified True Copy of the judgment. Until we receive it, we cannot be in a position to comment on it. However, the position that existed before the December 10, 2025 judgment was that INEC rejected NDC’s letter of intent to be registered as a political party,” Haruna explained.
The NDC had said that it has already been denied the portal access codes needed to upload its candidate list for the 2027 general elections.
In response to the portal denial, the National Publicity Secretary of the NDC, Osa Director, confirmed that their efforts to secure the necessary credentials were unsuccessful.
“We approached INEC to collect the access code to upload the names of our candidates to the INEC portal. They told us that they will get back to us,” Director said.
-
Entertainment3 days agoPLABOMA to Launch Unified Bloggers Platform at World Social Media Day Celebration
-
News1 day ago
Gunmen kill Plateau youth leader in fresh attack
-
Business3 days ago
Nigeria’s petrol price climbs to ₦1,596 per litre in May — NBS
-
News2 days ago
Eight people freed from bandits after gunfight in Plateau forest: Army
