Eno Challenges Akwa Ibom Youths to Embrace Innovation, Build Successful Businesses
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has offered to sponsor 100 youths for agricultural entrepreneurship training at CSS Global Integrated Farms in Nasarawa State as part of efforts to promote youth empowerment, self-reliance and business development.
The governor also urged young people in the state to embrace innovation, acquire new skills and continually reinvent themselves to remain relevant and achieve sustainable entrepreneurial success.
Eno made the remarks on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at the ninth edition of the Ibom Ignite Conference, held at Ibom Hall, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking on the conference theme, “Reinvent, Rethink, Reimagine, Redesign, and Become,” the governor encouraged participants to believe in their abilities, work intelligently and pursue their ambitions with passion and determination.
He noted that since the inception of Ibom Ignite in 2017, the initiative had inspired new ideas, changed mindsets and strengthened the entrepreneurial spirit of young people, leading to the transformation of several businesses and lives across the state.
Eno identified Idara Adiakpan, David Elisha, Ikemesit Bassey Awak, Uduak Rubin, Churchill Mfon Monday and Pius Titus as some of the programme’s beneficiaries who had distinguished themselves in their respective fields.
According to him, the success stories demonstrate the potential of young people when they receive the right guidance, skills and opportunities.
The governor explained that his commitment to mentoring and empowering young people was driven by his desire to help them achieve personal development, fulfilment and meaningful societal impact.
“My passion has always been to nurture our youths and equip them with both entrepreneurial and leadership skills so that when opportunities present themselves to them, they will be properly equipped, distilled and ready to make tremendous impact as it is done in other climes,” he said.
He cautioned the participants against relying on outdated methods, stressing that changing economic realities require entrepreneurs to continually improve their skills, strategies and services.
“Those who are willing to reinvent, rethink, reimagine and redesign always triumph. Those who get buried in conventional wisdom or those who see things from a one-dimensional prism, always get swallowed by the revolving rhythm of life,” Eno said.
He further emphasised the importance of differentiation in business, noting that entrepreneurs must identify what makes their products and services unique to attract and retain customers.
“The world today is defined by the service industry, whether it is the bank, hotel, and even the church. People want to know what differentiates from your competitors in order to patronize you more,” he added.
Eno Highlights Youth Empowerment Initiatives
The governor said his administration had continued to invest in youth development through vocational training, entrepreneurship programmes and the provision of startup support.
He disclosed that 2,000 youths had been trained through the Ibom Leadership and Economic Development programme, Ibom-LED, with each participant receiving a startup package of ₦750,000.
Another 2,000 youths, he said, had benefited from training at the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC), where participants received startup grants ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦1 million.
Eno also highlighted the establishment of Youth Development Centres across the 31 local government areas of the state as part of his administration’s strategy to expand access to skills acquisition and economic opportunities.
He urged young people to take full advantage of the Ibom Ignite platform, work hard and remain committed to their goals, assuring them that determination and continuous improvement would help them achieve success and self-fulfilment.
The governor commended the speakers at the conference, including Apostle Joshua Selman and Professor John Kennedy Opara, for sharing insights aimed at helping young people build successful businesses and impactful lives.
Selman Identifies Path to Success
Delivering the keynote address titled “The Courage to Become: Why Your Next Level Requires a New You,” Apostle Joshua Selman said personal transformation required willingness, determination and the courage to embrace change.
He identified awareness and recognition, access to superior information, practical application, consistent action and the willingness to endure the consequences of doing things differently as essential ingredients for success.
Selman also stressed the need for young people to sacrifice temporary pleasures in pursuit of their long-term goals.
According to him, moving from a losing mentality to a winning mentality requires deliberate decisions, discipline and sustained commitment to personal growth.
CSS Farms CEO Urges Youths to Embrace Agribusiness
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of CSS Global Integrated Farms, Professor John Kennedy Opara, delivered a presentation titled “Beyond Hustle: Turning Your Business into an Enterprise.”
Opara identified passion, performance and possibilities as critical factors for entrepreneurial success.
Reflecting on his experience in the agricultural sector, he noted that businesses could grow from modest beginnings into enterprises with international recognition.
He urged young people to embrace agriculture as a viable business opportunity and remain committed to developing their ideas, regardless of their starting points.
CSS Global Integrated Farms, located in Nasarawa State, operates in the agribusiness sector, with a focus on mechanised agriculture, sustainable initiatives and global partnerships.
The governor’s offer to sponsor 100 youths for training at the farm is expected to provide beneficiaries with an opportunity to develop practical agricultural entrepreneurship skills.
Ibom Ignite Designed to Unlock Youth Potential
Earlier, the Chairman of the Conference Central Planning Committee, Pastor Imobasi Jacob, thanked Governor Eno for his leadership and for initiating the Ibom Ignite Conference.
He described the conference as a platform for bringing together ideas, ambitions and possibilities to help young people realise their potential.
Jacob said the initiative was established out of the conviction that young people needed practical support, relevant skills, meaningful networks and access to opportunities rather than sympathy in the face of unemployment and other economic challenges.
He urged participants to take advantage of the conference to acquire leadership and entrepreneurial skills that would help them develop their talents and translate their ideas into viable businesses.
The ninth edition of Ibom Ignite brought together young entrepreneurs, aspiring business owners and speakers to discuss personal transformation, business development and opportunities for sustainable economic growth.
The governor’s agricultural training offer formed part of the broader focus on equipping young people with practical skills and encouraging them to explore entrepreneurship as a pathway to self-reliance.
