Abeokuta, Nigeria | September 4, 2025
The Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority (O-ORBDA) on Wednesday graduated 37 participants of its 2024/2025 Graduate Youth Empowerment Programme (GYEP), awarding each a ₦500,000 startup grant to support entry into agribusiness.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the agency’s headquarters in Abeokuta, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Deji Ashiru, reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to food security through youth involvement in agriculture.
Ashiru noted that since its launch in 2016, the empowerment programme has produced over 200 agriculturally skilled graduates. The latest cohort, which completed six months of intensive training that began in February, was equipped with practical skills in arable crop farming, poultry management, and fisheries.
“The ₦500,000 you are receiving today is not merely a grant, it is an investment in Nigeria’s future, a seed that must be planted wisely to yield an abundant harvest,” Ashiru said, describing the ₦18.5 million disbursed as a demonstration of O-ORBDA’s commitment to the graduates’ success.
He urged the beneficiaries to use their training and funds productively to contribute to national food production, job creation, and wealth generation.
