Uba Sani redeems pledge to Kaduna’s innovators

Governor Uba Sani fulfilled his ₦30 million commitment to young innovators in Kaduna by presenting cheques to deserving recipients at the Ministry of Youth Development on Wednesday. The beneficiaries include computer engineering students from Ahmadu Bello University who created a smart walking aid for the visually impaired, as well as winners of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) NEXTGEN Challenge, and Fauziyya Muhammad Auwal, the first female astronaut candidate with Titan Space Industries and Nigeria's first female analogue astronaut selected for the 2026 LunAres Research Station mission in Poland.

Additionally, eight microchip designers benefited from specialised training under the Kaduna State Human Capital Development Initiative. The Commissioner for Youth Development, Barrister Gloria Ibrahim, explained that this intervention shows the administration's determination to turn promises into tangible support for youth empowerment.

The Ministry of Youth Development, established to assist young people, is expected to leverage this funding to advance their projects and bring recognition to Kaduna State. The presentation of the cheques took place at the 2026 International Youth Day Conference, although not all invited innovators were able to attend due to time constraints.

Nonetheless, the Governor directed that they would still receive the benefits of the financial support. The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, highlighted that this ₦30 million investment underscores the administration's dedication to nurturing young minds, education, and innovation. He emphasized that the Governor is investing in the future of the next generation, and the beneficiaries are expected to use this support to further their research, develop stronger innovations, and create solutions that can compete globally.

Maiyaki stated that this intervention is part of a larger strategy for youth and human-capital development, citing the state's role in exposing local innovators to international opportunities and facilitating partnerships in renewable energy, rural electrification, and other areas. He encouraged the beneficiaries to view the grants not as a final payment, but as a seed for even greater achievements.

Maiyaki reminded the recipients that the true value lies not in the amount provided, but in what they accomplish with it, and that Kaduna's talented young people have the potential to develop solutions to real-world problems. The government's role, according to Maiyaki, is to provide the environment, open doors, and offer the necessary support to transform promising ideas into tangible benefits for society.