By Jonathan Lois
Nigeria’s Idealab Agency is spearheading an ambitious programme in collaboration with the Federal Government, the World Bank Group, and the United Nations to drive youth empowerment, job creation, and agricultural commodities exports.
The initiative, which integrates technology, teamwork, and global partnerships, is designed to position Nigerians for greater participation in international trade while advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Announcing the plan, the Director General/CEO of Idealab Agency, Mr. Emmanuel Aondoakaa, said the strategy draws on the principle that no lasting achievement is possible without collective effort.
Quoting leadership expert John C. Maxwell’s “law of significance,” he noted that “one is too small a number to achieve greatness,” and recalled former U.S. President Lyndon Johnson’s assertion that there are no problems that cannot be solved together, but very few that can be solved alone.
Aondoakaa stressed that technology will serve as a key tool for connecting people and accelerating results, and that the agency’s export drive and innovation hub will rely on teams of service providers working in concert.
Preparations are already underway for the participation of Nigerian delegates in a series of high-level global engagements.
Beginning Monday, August 11, 2025, Idealab will write to ministers, particularly those in the Ministries of Budget and Economic Planning and Youth Development, and will engage ambassadors of Switzerland and the United States, as well as the protocol department of the National Assembly in Abuja, to facilitate visa processing and secure financial backing from international partners.
The agency has been nominated to co-host and nominate speakers and participants from government and non-governmental organizations at upcoming forums.
The programme’s calendar includes the World Bank Group Civil Society Organizations Forum scheduled for September 16 to 17, 2025, at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, followed by the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and United Nations from October 13 to 17, also in Washington DC, which will feature dedicated sessions on agriculture value chains.
Later in October, Nigerian participants will attend the World Food Prize Foundation investors meetings in Iowa, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Awards in Rome, and the United Nations Office on Youth Assembly hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization in the Italian capital.
Aondoakaa explained that these engagements open direct access to global funding, training, and investment opportunities.
He noted that successful applications to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Youth Solidarity Fund could attract up to $25,000 (about ₦38 million) per approved budget proposal before the August 15 deadline, while contracts with the World Food Prize Foundation could bring in $50,000 (about ₦76 million) for promoting agricultural investment in Nigeria.
He added that these opportunities will be complemented by further United Nations training programmes under the “Idea to Execution” framework, and that venture capital investors have shown interest in supporting digital skills development and entrepreneurship among young Nigerians.
He emphasised that the initiative is not just about international exposure but about creating lasting impact at home by fostering jobs, building digital capacity, and unlocking financial empowerment for the country’s youth.
“Let’s make it happen together now,” he urged, calling for support from all stakeholders to meet the deadlines and maximise the benefits of the partnerships.
