By Anne Azuka
The Niger Delta Progressives Alliance (NDPA) has launched a sensitization campaign to educate young people across the region on how to access federal government programmes and empowerment policies designed to improve their lives.
Speaking during a one-day sensitization forum held in Asaba, Delta State, over the weekend, with the theme “Empirical Perspective on President Tinubu’s Offers in Two Years: A Strategic Engagement of Niger Deltans on Accessibility,” NDPA Convener Victor Udoh said the initiative was prompted by the realization that many people in the region are not benefiting from federal interventions—not because they are excluded, but because they lack proper information.
“In the 2024/2025 NELFUND student loan programme, 65 percent of beneficiaries are from the North, while 35 percent are from the South—and most of that 35 percent are from the South-West,” Udoh explained. “It’s not that our people were denied; they simply didn’t apply. Many don’t even believe these opportunities are real.”
Udoh said the group’s mission is to equip citizens with the knowledge to access government programmes directly, without middlemen or unauthorized payments. He added that increased participation in schemes such as the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) would help strengthen the region’s economy and promote peace.
“When people are economically empowered, communities become more secure and stable,” he said. “That’s why we’re taking this message from state to state across the Niger Delta.”
Also speaking, Engr. Jator Abido, National Coordinator of the Niger Delta Youth Council Worldwide and Paramount Ruler of Niger Delta Communities in the North, expressed concern over the low participation of southern youths in federal empowerment initiatives.
“More northerners are taking advantage of these programmes than southerners,” he said. “That’s why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to educate our people about NELFUND, SMEDAN, and other presidential projects—and how they can transform lives.”
Abido commended federal efforts to support regional growth, citing pipeline surveillance contracts awarded to Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), which he described as instrumental in curbing oil theft and creating jobs.
“PINL has played a major role in ending pipeline vandalism and oil theft,” he noted. “Their operations have helped increase oil production from under one million barrels per day to nearly two million, while creating thousands of jobs and funding scholarships, training, and skills acquisition programmes.”
He emphasized that these initiatives align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, urging Niger Delta youths to take advantage of the available opportunities.
“Students can benefit from NELFUND loans, entrepreneurs can access SMEDAN funds, and small producers in rural areas can get help to process and export their goods,” he added.
Felix Ejenavi, NDPA Secretary-General and host of the event, said the sensitization drive—which began in Rivers State—will extend to all nine states of the Niger Delta.
In his remarks, Barr. ThankGod Trakiriowei, Delta State Commissioner for Youth Development, commended President Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for implementing programmes that have positively impacted citizens’ lives. He urged young people to take advantage of the available government opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods and secure their future.
