We Will Train A Further 6,700 Youths In Modern Agribusiness Practices At The Rate Of 1,675 Youths Each Year.

Agribusiness Youth Training Promise Lags Behind Targets

Governor Seyi Makinde pledged to train 6,700 youths in modern agribusiness practices at a rate of 1,675 youths per year starting in 2023. That annual target is designed to cumulatively reach 6,700 trainees by the end of his second term, with each tranche of 1,675 youths receiving hands-on instruction in areas such as mechanized farming, value addition, and agribusiness entrepreneurship.

However, actual training figures for 2025 already exceed the annual promise but vary across reporting periods. In March 2025, Oyo State trained 1,950 farmers across all 33 local government areas under its food security efforts—a figure that alone exceeds the promised annual youth target of 1,675, though it includes farmers of all ages rather than youths exclusively. By June 2025, capacity-building activities reached 3,830 individuals across various agricultural enterprises, including specialized modules in livestock management, crop production, and agritech incubation. These efforts underscore the state’s ongoing commitment to equipping young agripreneurs with practical skills.

Despite these strong quarterly numbers, the official tracker as of June 2024 still listed the yearly youth-training promise as “not yet commenced,” reflecting delays in formalizing the scheme under the designated STEP-YEAP framework. With over 5,780 participants trained in 2025 alone, the administration is on pace to surpass its annual target but must ensure that the structured youth-focused program fully aligns with the original promise and reaches the remaining cohorts slated for 2023 and 2024. Continuous monitoring and clear reporting will be essential to validate complete fulfillment of the 6,700-youth commitment.