The Cross River State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable youth development, unveiling new initiatives aimed at equipping young people with practical skills, work experience, and platforms for participation in governance.

Speaking at a World Press Conference in Calabar to mark the 2026 International Youth Day with the theme: “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations: Advancing the People-First Agenda through Sustainable Youth Development.”the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr Odum Ijom – Ukam said the state’s approach was shifting from one-off empowerment programmes to building systems that guarantee lasting opportunities for young people.

“There can be no meaningful people-centered development without meaningful investment in young people,” the Commissioner said.
“Our contexts may be different. A young person in Akamkpa may face different circumstances from one in Calabar Municipal. But across these contexts, our young people share common aspirations: opportunities, decent employment, skills, access to finance, and a voice in governance.”

The Commissioner announced the “Skills in the Hands Programme” as one of the Ministry’s flagship interventions, designed to put practical, market-driven skills in the hands of youth and link those skills directly to livelihoods.

“Education without employability pathways can leave young people frustrated. Our objective is to promote skills acquisition that responds to real economic opportunities and prepares young people not only to seek employment, but also to create employment,” he stated.

To address the “experience paradox” facing graduates, the state government has also embraced paid internships to help young people transition from school to work.

“Through our internship interventions, young people will gain practical workplace experience, develop professional competencies, and build networks that improve their prospects for employment and entrepreneurship,” he added.

The Commissioner highlighted the state’s partnership with the United Nations Nigerian Jubilee Fellowship Programme as a model for creating opportunities beyond government.

He called on the private sector, financial institutions, development partners, and civil society to deepen investment in youth.

“We need more businesses willing to provide internships. We need more investors willing to finance youth-led enterprises. Investing in young people is not charity. It is economic and social investment,” he said.

On governance, he stressed that young people must be involved in the conception, design, and evaluation of policies affecting them.

“We envision a Cross River State where a young person can say: ‘Government listens to me. Government works with me. Government creates opportunities for me,'” he said.

The Commissioner disclosed that the 2026 International Youth Day celebration in the state will go beyond speeches to provide a platform for young people to showcase talents in entrepreneurship, innovation, sports, technology, and the creative industry.

He said the ministry’s youth development framework will be inclusive, skills-oriented, employment-focused, entrepreneurship-driven, partnership-based, innovation-led, participatory, and sustainable.

“The Cross River of tomorrow will not be built by government alone. It will be built with you,” he told young people.

“Together, we can transform the energy of our young people into the engine of sustainable development. Together, we can advance the People-First Agenda. Together, we can build a Cross River State where no young person is left behind.”

The event was attended by youth leaders, representatives of NGOs, traditional rulers, development partners, and members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Cross River State Council.