LYDI Appoints YABATECH Rector To Advisory Council
* Expands Youth Leadership Drive in Lagos
The Lagos Youth Development Institute (LYDI) has intensified its youth empowerment and leadership development agenda with the appointment of the Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Dr. Engr. Ibraheem Abdul, as a member of its Advisory Council.
The development followed a courtesy visit by the management of LYDI, led by its Director-General, Dr. Jamiu Ademosu, to the YABATECH Rector, where both institutions explored areas of strategic collaboration aimed at deepening youth capacity building in Lagos State and Nigeria at large.
Speaking during the visit, the Director-General of LYDI described the institute as a youth-focused platform established under the aegis of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lagos State Chapter, chaired by Engineer Adebo Ibrahim. According to him, LYDI is dedicated to grooming young people for leadership, entrepreneurship and civic responsibility.
He explained that a flagship initiative of the institute is its three-month, cohort-based fellowship programme which annually selects 30 outstanding young people from across Lagos State’s three senatorial districts.
The fellows undergo intensive training in leadership, entrepreneurship, digital and financial literacy, civic engagement and capacity building.
The programme, he said, also exposes participants to real-life governance and development processes through field trips to key institutions, including government ministries, local government councils and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) offices. At the end of the fellowship, participants execute capstone projects aligned with the developmental agenda of the Lagos State Government.
The LYDI boss disclosed that the 2025 cohort had successfully graduated, with fellows already making significant impact in various sectors, while preparations are underway to recruit another set of 30 fellows for the new session.
He added that the institute has recorded notable successes through partnerships with local and international organisations.
“Through our collaboration with GIZ, over 600 young people have been trained in digital skills such as software engineering, data science and product design. We have also partnered with Bukahot Restaurant to facilitate job placements for young people in Lagos State,” he said.
He noted that the visit to YABATECH was informed by the institute’s assessment of Dr. Abdul as a youth-friendly leader whose vision aligns with LYDI’s mission. The rector, has earlier been formally nominated to serve on the institute’s Advisory Council as a mentor and guide.
In his response, Dr. Abdul welcomed the LYDI delegation and expressed the college’s readiness to collaborate with the institute in advancing youth development.
He described collaboration as critical in addressing the challenges facing Nigeria’s growing youth population.
“Our mandate aligns perfectly with what LYDI is doing—developing young people for usefulness and national development. The space is large, and collaboration remains the key,” the Rector said.
He highlighted several Centres within YABATECH that could support joint programmes, including the Comrade Hassan Sunmonu Centre for Leadership and Governance, the Centre for Women’s Leadership and Governance, and the Folawiyo Entrepreneurship Centre, all of which are focused on leadership development, governance and innovative thinking among youths.
Dr. Abdul formally accepted his appointment to the LYDI Advisory Council, pledging to provide mentorship, guidance and institutional support to help the institute achieve its objectives.
The visit climaxed with the official decoration and presentation of a certificate of appointment to the YABATECH Rector, marking a new phase of partnership between LYDI and one of Nigeria’s foremost tertiary institutions, in a move expected to further strengthen youth leadership and capacity development in Lagos State.