By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has disbursed N49 million to 90 youth organisations across the state as the second tranche of the 2026 youth subvention, an intervention designed to give young people greater leverage in governance.
The state Commissioner for Youth Development, Adesola Adedayo, disclosed this in Ado Ekiti on Monday,24 August, 2026 explaining that the governor approved the disbursement to strengthen youth organisations, promote grassroots participation and empower young people to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.
“The N49 million subvention we are disbursing to 90 youth groups is the second tranche of the state government’s subvention to youth organisations for 2026,” Adedayo said.
He explained that the subvention was designed to support registered youth, student and community-based organisations in implementing their programmes and running their activities without excessive dependence on politicians or personal contributions from members.
“The subvention was designed to support registered youth, student and community-based organisations in implementing their programmes and running their activities without excessive dependence on politicians or personal contributions from members,” he said.
Adedayo further disclosed that the programme had been expanded to accommodate community-based youth organisations at the grassroots, noting that the government was determined to ensure that youths across the state benefit from its shared prosperity agenda.
“The programme has also been expanded to accommodate community-based youth organisations at the grassroots. Government is determined to ensure that youths across the state benefit from its shared prosperity agenda,” he said.
Stating that the ultimate objective was to empower youths to become active contributors to the development of Ekiti State, the commissioner urged the beneficiaries to utilise the funds judiciously for programmes that would strengthen their organisations, develop their members and contribute to the development of their communities.
He also encouraged the youth organisations to take their associations seriously, acquire relevant skills and key into other government programmes designed to improve the capacity and welfare of young people.
On accountability, Adedayo said the government had put measures in place to ensure transparency in the disbursement and utilisation of the funds, adding that beneficiary organisations were required to maintain functional association bank accounts into which the subvention would be paid.
He said the organisations were also expected to submit reports detailing their activities and how the funds were utilised.
The Commissioner said the government would continue to expand the programme to accommodate more duly registered and active youth organisations whose activities could be verified, expressing optimism that more organisations would benefit from subsequent tranches.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development, Elijah Maxwell, said the intervention had enabled youth organisations to finance programmes, meet office-related expenses and organise activities capable of positively engaging young people.
“The intervention has enabled youth organisations to finance programmes, meet office-related expenses and organise activities capable of positively engaging young people,” Maxwell said.
He noted that the consistency of the intervention since 2024 demonstrated the Oyebanji administration’s commitment to youth development, stressing that direct financial support to youth organisations would help keep young people engaged in productive activities and reduce their dependence on politicians for the survival of their associations.
“Direct financial support to youth organisations will help keep young people engaged in productive activities and reduce their dependence on politicians for the survival of their associations,” he said.
Reacting to the development, the South-West Treasurer of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Ashabi Sabi, described the intervention as a departure from the past when student organisations had to approach individuals and politicians for financial assistance, noting that the subvention had significantly improved the body’s ability to run its affairs and implement programmes.
He said NANS would deploy its allocation to programmes with a direct impact on students, including initiatives aimed at assisting students facing financial difficulties, as well as programmes targeted at improving students’ welfare and capacity.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Ekiti State chapter of the National Youth Congress, Temitope Adedara, and his National Youth Council of Nigeria counterpart, James Bankole, commended the state government for extending the subvention scheme to grassroots youth organisations, describing the inclusion as particularly significant because many of the grassroots groups lacked the resources to execute their programmes and sustain their activities.
The leaders added that the subvention had also strengthened cooperation among youth organisations, as different groups were now better positioned to pursue their programmes and contribute to youth development without unhealthy rivalry.
The NYC and NYCN thereafter expressed appreciation to Governor Oyebanji and the Ministry of Youth Development, describing the intervention as a major boost to their programmes, organisational capacity and youth development initiatives.
