Sources: Independent Newspaper |
The NBM of Africa Worldwide has opened discussions with the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) on strategic partnership in youth empowerment, human capital development and humanitarian intervention.
The move is aimed at expanding opportunities for young Nigerians and vulnerable communities.
This engagement followed a courtesy visit by the NBM delegation to Dr. Bello Mustapha at the PTDF in Abuja, where both sides explored areas of institutional cooperation capable of translating Nigeria’s human resources into greater opportunities for young people.
Leading the delegation on behalf of the President of NBM of Africa Worldwide, Dr. Charles Chimezie, Ph.D, was Amb. Dr. Anyakora Chris Ugo, accompanied by Dr. Ransome Oboh, Prof. Abubakar Sadeeq, Prince Dr. Hassan Momoh and other distinguished members of the movement.
The visit, according to the organisation, was designed to strengthen institutional relations with the PTDF while identifying practical areas where the two institutions could collaborate in developing skills, empowering young people and supporting humanitarian initiatives.
The engagement assumes greater national significance against the backdrop of the huge population of young Nigerians seeking education, skills, employment and sustainable livelihoods in an increasingly competitive economy.
For millions of young people, access to quality skills and meaningful opportunities remains more than an economic issue; it represents a pathway out of poverty, vulnerability and hopelessness and a chance to contribute productively to national development.
The NBM delegation therefore emphasised the importance of partnerships that move beyond discussions to programmes capable of equipping young Nigerians with relevant knowledge, technical skills and opportunities for self-reliance.
The discussions also aligned with the NBM’s broader Pan-African vision of using service to humanity, youth empowerment and human capital development as instruments for building stronger and more resilient communities across Africa.
The proposed areas of collaboration could also provide opportunities for humanitarian organisations and public institutions to combine their strengths in addressing some of the social and economic challenges confronting vulnerable Nigerians.
The NBM said stronger institutional partnerships remained critical to unlocking the enormous potential of Nigeria’s youthful population and ensuring that young people are not left at the margins of the country’s development process.
Beyond the immediate engagement, the visit underscored a wider national imperative: that Nigeria’s vast youth population must be treated not merely as beneficiaries of development programmes, but as critical partners in building a productive, innovative and prosperous nation.
The meeting consequently marked another step in the NBM’s efforts to build strategic relationships with institutions capable of advancing its humanitarian and Pan-African objectives, with the ultimate goal of putting human dignity, opportunity and service to humanity at the heart of sustainable development.