Certificates not enough, youths need job opportunities — PIND

The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (FPIND) is urging the creation of clearer pathways that link young people's skills and training to job opportunities, markets, and entrepreneurship. During the organization's International Youth Day 2026 program, FPIND Executive Director Sam Daibo stressed that training programs often fall short when they don't lead to tangible job prospects.

Daibo emphasized that certificates alone are insufficient; young people need connections to the workforce, markets, mentorship, and enterprise opportunities. He argued that empowering youth with sustainable livelihoods would boost local economies and foster more peaceful communities.

At the event, which gathered over 200 young people from Bayelsa, Abia, Delta, Edo, and Rivers states, participants engaged with employers, mentors, training providers, and enterprise-support organizations. The forum facilitated discussions on career opportunities in various sectors including ICT, agriculture, renewable energy, construction, hospitality, and the digital economy.

PIND's Youth Employment Pathways Manager, Patrick Ekpe, highlighted that the true success of the initiative would be measured by how many attendees leverage their new connections into actual career moves like internships, apprenticeships, mentorships, and entrepreneurship ventures. Ekpe stressed that the number of attendees is not the sole indicator of success; rather, it's the transformation of these connections into concrete career actions that defines the program's impact.

The program also highlighted opportunities in Nigeria's cassava value chain and renewable energy sector, introducing participants to FPIND's NDLink platform for ongoing job and career development resources. FPIND plans to monitor the commitments from employers, mentors, training institutions, and development partners to evaluate whether these networking opportunities translate into jobs, internships, apprenticeships, mentorships, and enterprise support.