The Federal Government has revived the Commonwealth Postgraduate Programme in Youth Development Work as part of efforts to professionalise youth work and strengthen the capacity of those responsible for youth development across the country.
Speaking at the induction ceremony held at Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, announced that he had been inducted as a PhD student in Commonwealth Youth Development Work alongside youth development officers from the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Maryam Ismaila Keshinro.
The minister described the revival of the Commonwealth programme after years of inactivity as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s commitment to developing a highly skilled workforce capable of addressing the challenges facing young people.
According to Olawande, building a prosperous future for Nigerian youths requires more than goodwill and enthusiasm, stressing that youth development must be driven by trained professionals equipped with the knowledge, practical skills and research capacity to deliver sustainable results.
He said the Federal Ministry of Youth Development remains committed to making youth work a recognised and respected profession through investment in education, research, policy development and the adoption of global best practices.
Olawande urged participants to maximise the opportunity presented by the postgraduate programme, describing the knowledge and expertise they would acquire as an investment that would positively impact millions of young Nigerians.
The Commonwealth Youth Programme, relaunched in partnership with Yakubu Gowon University and the Commonwealth Secretariat, offers postgraduate diploma, master’s and doctoral degrees in Youth Development Work.
The initiative is designed to strengthen youth-focused policies, promote evidence-based practice and build a new generation of professional youth workers capable of driving national development.
