SOBAI Trains 837 Youths in Abuja, Targets 20 Million by 2030

According to The Sun Nigeria news on October 28, 2026, the Seyi Tinubu Operation Back to Agriculture Initiative (SOBAI) has trained 837 youths at its Kubwa centre in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as part of efforts to promote agricultural entrepreneurship, youth empowerment and food production.

The training and induction ceremony was organized to equip young Nigerians with practical agricultural skills and encourage self-reliance through farming and agribusiness.

The National Coordinator of SOBAI, Emmanuel Bidi, disclosed that 1,121 youths registered for the Abuja programme, while 837 successfully completed the training. He added that the beneficiaries were awaiting empowerment support to establish their own agricultural businesses.

Bidi explained that the initiative was designed to help young people develop sustainable enterprises, generate income, create employment opportunities and contribute to national food security.

He further revealed that SOBAI, in partnership with Praise Agrovet, had trained and empowered 64,734 youths across the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi, Benue and Kano states since its establishment.

According to him, the training programmes cover several agricultural value chains, including poultry production, fish farming, goat rearing and other farming-related activities.

Bidi said the initiative planned to establish and activate 34 training centres with programmes accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), with a target of reaching 20 million Nigerian youths by 2030.

He added that SOBAI intended to provide free agricultural training every quarter across the country and establish branded farms in all 36 states. The farms would serve as research, training and industrial attachment centres for young farmers and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The coordinator also emphasized the importance of quality animal feed, veterinary products and skilled personnel in improving livestock health and agricultural productivity.

Beyond agriculture, Bidi announced that SOBAI had set a target of mobilising five million votes for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.

He said the initiative would leverage its youth platforms and grassroots networks, working with the City Boy Movement and other support groups, to promote political advocacy and mobilization . However, he clarified that the figure represented a mobilisation target rather than a guaranteed electoral outcome, stressing that voting remained the personal choice of eligible citizens.

Bidi called on government agencies, private-sector organizations , community leaders and youth groups to support agricultural education and entrepreneurship. He urged young Nigerians to embrace agriculture as a means of creating jobs, generating wealth and strengthening Nigeria’s food production capacity.

He added that transparent administration, effective implementation and strategic partnerships would be essential to achieving the initiative’s objectives.

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