The Kaduna Commissioner for Youth Development, Gloria Ibrahim, presented the cheques on behalf of Gov. Uba Sani on Wednesday in Kaduna.
Ibrahim said the beneficiaries demonstrated creativity and commitment to addressing societal challenges through their innovations and initiatives.
She said the governor approved the funds after witnessing presentations by young people during the International Youth Day conference.
The commissioner said the gesture was intended to strengthen the beneficiaries’ initiatives and encourage them to contribute more to Kaduna State.
She urged young people to publicise their achievements and demonstrate that youths could contribute positively to the development of society.
According to her, the state government established the Ministry of Youth Development to provide greater attention to issues affecting young people.
Ibrahim urged the beneficiaries to utilise the funds responsibly and expand their innovations for greater social impact.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, said the presentation fulfilled the governor’s pledge to support young innovators.
Maiyaki said the support was designed to enable young people to improve their innovations, conduct research and participate in national and international competitions.
He cited the NextGen Innovation and Technology 2025 champions as an example of Kaduna youths gaining international recognition through innovation.
According to him, one of the Kaduna teams that participated in the United Kingdom reportedly attracted an investment opportunity valued at more than £1.5 million.
Maiyaki said the state government would continue to support young people whose innovations could contribute to solving community and societal challenges.
He also highlighted the government’s support for youth activities, including programmes involving students of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
Prof. Muhammad-Nur Buratai, Director of Advancement and International Education, ABU, thanked the state government for supporting youth innovation.
Buratai said the university was represented among the beneficiaries and had received support for its innovative projects.
He said the gesture would encourage young people to conduct further research and develop solutions to challenges confronting society.
Buratai urged the beneficiaries to reinvest the support in research, innovation and projects capable of improving the lives of people.
Among the beneficiaries was Hauwa Shehu Modibo, a member of the team that developed an innovative walking aid for visually impaired persons.
Modibo thanked the state government for the award, saying the support would encourage the team to improve the innovation and expand its societal impact.
Another beneficiary, Shamsuddeen Jibo, said the award demonstrated government support for young people participating in innovation competitions.
Jibo said he was part of the team that represented Kaduna and Nigeria at a United Kingdom innovation challenge, where the team reportedly attracted £1.5 million in investment.
The beneficiaries included ABU Zaria’s Innovative Walking Aid for the Visually Impaired and Kaduna Microchip Design Training’s SMART-G V4.
Others are Next-Gen Innovation and Technology 2025 Champions, Fauziyya Muhammad Auwal’s Space Science and STEM project, and Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Kaduna Chapter.
Also listed were Performing Artists, IFest winning team, Kaduna State Association of the Deaf, Achievers Group’s Smart IR Glasses, FADMAA’s Parent Monitoring App and Tech Titans’ Lesson Notify.
The Kaduna Ministry of Youth Development had earlier organised the International Youth Day 2026 conference at Umar Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Murtala Square, Kaduna.
The conference brought together young people from different backgrounds to discuss innovation, skills, employment, peacebuilding and social development.(NAN)
