The Plateau State Government has launched a ₦4 billion loan and skills acquisition scheme to support youth-led businesses, in a bid to boost economic growth and job creation across the state.

Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Musa Ashoms, disclosed this during the graduation and starter pack distribution ceremony for the first batch of 153 beneficiaries of the Plateau Youth Employment and Skills Acquisition (PLAYESA) programme in Jos.

Ashoms explained that the facility will be financed through a ₦2 billion bank credit line alongside a ₦2 billion government counterpart fund, designed to empower young entrepreneurs to start or expand their ventures.

“We now have a package where a bank is willing to give us ₦2 billion, and the government will provide another ₦2 billion, making ₦4 billion. This will give our young people loans to launch businesses, boost the microeconomic environment, and grow Plateau’s economy,” he said.

The PLAYESA initiative targets 250 youths across the state’s 17 local government areas, with training offered in ICT, fashion design, and leather works. Graduates received starter packs such as industrial sewing machines, HP touchscreen laptops, and seed capital to kickstart their businesses.

Ashoms added that the initiative aligns with Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s commitment to youth empowerment, noting that 1,000 youths have already been deployed to BARC Farms, while others are undergoing leadership training at the National Defence College and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

On transparency, he stressed that the selection process was competitive and inclusive, with parents involved to ensure accountability.

Zonal Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Mrs. Deborah Simon Pitmang, praised the state for fully utilising the Federal Youth Centre in Jos, urging beneficiaries to form cooperative clusters to strengthen their enterprises.

One of the beneficiaries, Peter Daboer, described the programme as “transformative,” saying:

“We were trained in structured bag-making, digital literacy, and sewing. This programme has rekindled our dreams and given us the confidence to pursue our goals and contribute to Plateau’s growth.”