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How Nestlé is Securing the Nation’s Future Through Wholesome Youth Empowerment Schemes
By Eric Elezuo
“Our ambition is to help 10 million young people around the world access economic opportunities by 2030 through employment and employability, agripreneurship and entrepreneurship” – Nestlé
The basis of empowerment is not just a function of lip service or showmanship. It is deeply rooted in the ability to showcase tangible and verifiable evidences as seen in individuals and institutions. It is harnessing the process, and aiding of individuals and institutions towards becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their lives as well as claiming their rights in the commity of existence.
Consequently, when the story of lifting people, who verily accommodates empowerment, especially youths and women, talents and even resources, is written, one company will be at the forefront of superlative mention; the Nestlé Group, comprising Nestlé Global and Nestlé Nigeria. It’s involvement in the empowerment of women, youths, children and the generality of the public, has become a reference point of some sort, a case study and subject of discourse among men and women of goodwill. Nestlé is a force to reckon with, without an iota of doubt.
From its earliest and most humble beginnings in Switzerland in 1866/67, Nestlé, a brainchild of Henri Nestlé, has grown in leaps and bounds, becoming a global multinational brand, operating and distributing kindness, and empowerment in over 188 countries of the world.
Nestlé was the next best thing to happen to Nigeria, berthing in the country in 1961, as Nestlé Products (Nigeria) Limited. 63 years after, Nestlé has continued to heavily invest in the development and improvement in the nutritional profile of all their products, churning out healthy families and happier children.
Across the globe, the brand has maintained an aura that none has been able to beat in the business of affecting lives, rejuvenating standards and simply put, to empower the young people towards becoming their own individual bosses.
The company’s invincibility in creating leverage for the youths has been centred on four cardinal objectives, which include getting them hired, skilled, supported, and providing them with more opportunities.
Presently, Nestlé has trained about 8,464 young farmers through its renowned Agripreneurship Programme. This achievement incidentally is a process of one year – 2023.
It is worthy of note that among a humongous list of ordinate assistance rendered in the empowerment business, Nestlé Nigeria’s commitment to youth empowerment and skill development, continually takes a new dimension; the latest being the establishment in 2023 as an appendix of the firm’s broader technical training initiative, which has been running since 2011, the Flowergate Technical Training Centre (TTC), which just graduated another 20 young people comprising men and women. Yes, a significant milestone, which goes further to tell additional story of Nestlé’s stock-in-trade, and that involves its consistent efforts to equip Nigerian youth with essential technical skills.
It is a thing of joy to observe that since its inception, the programme has produced over 200 young Nigerians, who rode above the rigous of 18-month stringent curriculum.
The TTC programme comes with a mind blowing six billion naira investment; a proof that their priority lies in developing the next generation of skilled professionals to drive the country’s industrial and entrepreneurial future.
“For over 13 years, our commitment to nurturing young talent has reflected our confidence in the future of this generation,” Mr. Wassim Elhusseini, Managing Director/CEO of Nestlé Nigeria, said at a recent function.
The technicality of the training, time involved and its rigors, have remained a clear testament of the quality, just as Nestlé waste no time in absorbing the graduates. The company does not train and dump; it has employed over 97 percent of its graduates. It is therefore, no surprise that employees of Nestlé are budding young men and women, rearing with energy, tact and a sense of deliverables.
“This year alone, we proudly graduated 70 skilled professionals across all our centers, including Agbara and Abaji, all of whom have now joined our team. For us, this program is more than just skills training—it’s about empowering young people to shape their futures and become catalysts for change. By equipping them with critical technical expertise, we are opening doors to personal growth and financial independence.
“Ultimately, this is a long-term investment in creating shared value, as their success extends beyond themselves, impacting their families, strengthening communities, and driving growth in the industry,” Wassim Elhusseini informed.
Every of the company’s efforts is assiduously targeted to prepare the Nigerian youth for the future, ensuring they can thrive in an evolving industrial landscape.
Of course, everyone expects the best of the youths as the training exercise combines theoretical learning with hands-on engineering experience and culminates in the City and Guilds of London Technicians’ Certification. This significantly boosts the employability of the participants.
Again, for the love of the young ones, and the need to safeguard the future, Nestlé Nigeria has introduced the Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative; a broad base plan that has so far accommodated over 25,000 youths on an annual basis, helping them access economic opportunities.
For the benefit of hindsight, Nestlé’s investment since 2011 in upskilling the bright young minds is a reflection of the belief in the potential of the next generation as well as commitment to enabling them to thrive, in other to create shared value.
“By bridging the technical skills gap in the industry, we are not only enhancing the employability of our youth but also empowering them to achieve financial independence, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to their communities and society at large,” Nestlé noted.
Without an iota of doubt, Nestlé is “playing our part to cushion the impact of economic challenges on the youth and prepare them for the future. Some of these initiatives include our Nesternship Program, Nestlé Youth Development Program, and our active participation in the Alliance for Youth Nigeria initiative,” Mr. Shakiru Lawal, the Country Human Resources Manager at Nestlé Nigeria, clarified.
Beyond attending to young adults with vocational training, Nestlé is also saddled with the concept of catch them young. The firm’s employees, in collaboration with the company, engage in mentorship of students in the secondary schools, specifically JSS2, SS1 and SS2 classes. Presently, over 12,000 pupils across the nation have received one on one mentorship that has proved to be the ice breaker in their path towards making a career choice.
Dubbed the Youth Leadership Mentoring Programme, which is in collaboration with REVAMP Africa, a youth-focused non-profit organization with the vision to revive educational values and maximize potential among young people, especially in public secondary schools, the initiative aims to instill the right values, skills and attitudes requisite for success and positive personal development from an early age in children. The exercise is designed to empower the children through experiential learning as leaders of tomorrow.
“My classmates and I are excited to have the mentors in our classes. Today’s session on values and morality was very interesting. The mentors spoke to us about developing personal values for success in life. I am determined to live by the four values I have set for myself, both in school and outside the school. I will also put in more effort in my academics so I can excel and achieve my dreams,” a mentee recounts with gusto.
In addition to the many superlatives in youth empowerment schemes and initiatives, Nestlé has also embarked on a project of supporting academic excellence through wholesome sponsorship with its Community Scholarship Programme.
The Programme, which was launched in 2020, has remained a commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders, and aimed at high-achieving senior secondary and tertiary students pursuing studies in Science and Technology. It also empowers and supports students in communities surrounding Nestlé operations through the provision of tuition, accommodation, uniforms, books, and other essential expenses. The company has steadily ensured that students, who qualify for the grant, have the resources they need throughout their education journey.
Presently, a whopping N18 million has been set aside for 90 verified indigenes for the ongoing session of selection.
“These scholarships reflect our unwavering dedication to investing in the future of our youth. At a time when economic challenges place added strain on families nationwide, we’re proud to provide meaningful financial support that eases this burden. By investing in education, we’re not only empowering individual students but also fostering the growth and prosperity of our entire community,” Victoria Uwadoka, Nestlé Nigeria Corporate Communications, Public Affairs, and Sustainability Lead, has said, noting that 65 students from various schools in Abaji, Agbara and Sagamu, from the 2023/2024 batch have been awarded.
The scholarship has been a leveler, helping students to pursue their dreams, fuel their passion for learning, and help them explore opportunities that might have otherwise been out of reach.
With various empowerment programmes sticking out of the stables of Nestlé, it’s obvious that young people are at the heart of regeneration and future.
“They are the entrepreneurs and innovators of tomorrow and the next generation,” the company noted, stressing that empowering the youths in whatever guise will remain a continuous process until every youth is self-sustaining and independent.
Nobody will forget in a hurry how Nestlé is developing data journalism, climate change and sustainability, partnering the Pan Atlantic University to train young journalists, towards mastering their craft.
That, is the Nestlé advantage!
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
Oyebanji secured a landslide victory, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, came a distant third with 12,872 votes.
The election, held across all 16 local government areas of the state, was overshadowed by reports of irregularities and widespread allegations of vote buying, drawing strong condemnation from observers.
The official results were announced on Sunday morning by the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared Oyebanji duly elected after meeting the constitutional requirements.
In her declaration, Professor Oladiji stated: “I, Professor Adenike Oladiji, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Ekiti State Governorship Election held on June 20, 2026, and that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the law. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Source: Reuters
Arise Television anchor, Rufai Oseni, has alleged that there may be attempts to prevent key opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, from appearing on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.
Oseni’s remark followed a Federal High Court judgment ordering the de-registration of some political parties.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples’ Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance Party (AAP) over alleged constitutional breaches.
The judgment arose from a lawsuit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which argued that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional and statutory electoral performance requirements necessary for continued recognition as political parties.
Justice Lifu subsequently barred INEC from recognising the affected parties, accepting nominations from them or permitting them to participate in activities related to the 2027 general elections.
The ruling, if upheld, could affect the political ambitions of several politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the ADC presidential flag-bearer, and Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
But speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Oseni described the court ruling as a “test” of public reaction, warning that more actions could follow ahead of the next general election.
According to him, opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, should be cautious, claiming that efforts could be made to stop major figures from participating in the election.
Oseni argued that the judgment was part of a broader process aimed at shaping the political landscape ahead of 2027.
He maintained that the ruling came despite some of the affected parties having recorded electoral victories in recent elections.
He warned that Nigerians must remain vigilant to safeguard the country’s democracy, stressing the need for judicial reforms alongside efforts to tackle insecurity.
Oseni said: “NDC, ADC should be careful because there will be attempt, and this is me predicting now, to ensure that Obi, Atiku and other big contenders are not on the ballot.
“This that you saw yesterday is just a test. This is not the real place where the whole thing is going. This is me predicting now.
“You know before you have a show you test the microphone. They want to see the reactions of Nigerians. More is still coming.
“You can see how they carry a judgement when ADC won two House of Representatives seats in Kogi, one Kogi House of Assembly seat, APP one chairmanship seat in Jigawa, Zenith Labour party won several seats in Abia, but they still went ahead and issued judgement for deregistration after the Court of Appeal, a higher court, said it should stay on that.
“If we want to deal with this judicial rascality, can I tell you something? The judge that gave this judgment, nothing will happen to him. Nothing on this earth. They are just coming.
“And who is leading this group? Gbajabiamila. Have you forgotten what Gbajabiamila said on Hon Ajibade’s birthday? So they are just coming. This one is just a test. The next one they will do is the NDC.
“With the way they’re going, if Nigerians don’t shine their eyes when they will finally have this election, you will not have the major contenders in the ballot. This thing they have just done is to test reactions from Nigerians.
“I saw this thing coming. You know we are going into an election in which Atiku Abubakar is the only major candidate from the North. It’s not like the last one you have Kwankwaso that can split the Kano votes. And you have Peter Obi and general consensus that a lot of people are in abject penury, insecurity is raging hard.
“This is the beginning of many things. They are just testing the microphone. It’s engineered. More is coming. Nigerians, it is you that will save your democracy. Judicial reforms have become so important as insecurity in Nigeria.”
