The Cross River State Government has officially released the names of successful applicants for the first batch (Batch A) of its free Youth Skills Acquisition Programme and the One-Year Prince Otu Pre-Degree Scholarship Programme, marking another step in the state's youth empowerment initiative. The announcement was made by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development under the Ministry of Youth Development and Skills Acquisition.
According to the government, the programme is part of Governor Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu's "People's First" agenda aimed at equipping young people with practical skills, entrepreneurship knowledge and educational opportunities that will improve employment and economic growth across Cross River State. Beneficiaries have been selected to receive training in several high-demand fields including Digital Marketing and Content Creation, Welding and Fabrication, Entrepreneurship and MSME Development, Tourism Economy, Programming, Robotics, Drone Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Modern Technology in Agriculture, Music Production, Electrical Installation, as well as the One-Year Prince Otu Pre-Degree Scholarship Programme.
To make the programme accessible across the state, training has been divided among the three senatorial districts. Successful applicants from the Northern Senatorial District will report to the Ogoja Council Hall in Ogoja, while those from the Central Senatorial District will undergo their training in Ikom. Beneficiaries in the Southern Senatorial District will be trained at different centres in Calabar, including Prof. Eyo Ita House (Marian EDC Centre) for Drone Technology, Robotics and Web Application Development, the Women Development Centre for Sewing and Cake Making, Freeman Hotel for Catering and Hospitality, the Cross River State University of Science and Technology for Modern Technology in Agriculture and Electrical Installation, Pitch & Play Academy for Content Creation and Fashion Design, and Benco Fabrication Academy for Welding and Fabrication.
The government directed all shortlisted applicants to report to their designated training centres on Monday, August 3, 2026, with training scheduled to begin by 10:00 a.m. daily. Applicants residing within the Southern Senatorial District are expected to report to any of the approved centres in Calabar, while beneficiaries from the Central and Northern districts are to attend the Ikom and Ogoja training centres respectively.
The 36-page shortlist contains hundreds of successful applicants from across the 18 local government areas of the state, each assigned to different skill areas based on their applications.
The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Development advised all shortlisted candidates to report promptly with any required documents. It also urged applicants seeking further clarification to visit the Ministry of Youth Development and Skills Acquisition ICT Hub or the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Youth Development.
The programme is expected to provide practical training for young Cross Riverians while supporting the state's efforts to reduce unemployment and encourage entrepreneurship through skill development.
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