British Council and Octoville Launch Youth Empowerment Program

The British Council and Octoville Development Company launched the Inclusive Economic Empowerment Pathways (IEE) Programme 2026 on September 28, 2026, in Abuja. This initiative aims to equip young Nigerians with practical skills, workplace experience, and enterprise development support to enhance their access to employment and entrepreneurship.

The program includes an eight-week foundational training, followed by either an employment pathway with an additional eight weeks of training and a minimum six-week internship, or an enterprise pathway with 16 weeks of enterprise development training and eight weeks of mentorship. Deborah Oladosu, Senior Associate at Octoville Development Company, emphasized the program's focus on inclusion, targeting at least 50% women and 8% persons with disabilities.

The initiative responds to high unemployment rates among youth, with 10.1% for ages 15-24 and 8.0% for ages 25-34. Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, praised the program's emphasis on practical skills and mentorship.