The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Edo State Board for Technical and Vocational Education (BTVE) and the Edo State Skills Development Agency (EdoJobs) to empower 165 young people from Okomu Oil Palm Company’s neighboring communities.

The agreements, signed in Benin City, serve as an extension of an existing partnership between Okomu and PIND. The collaboration aims to drive community development through technical skills acquisition, entrepreneurship training, and improved access to sustainable economic opportunities for youths across Edo State.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Effiong Essien, Program Director at PIND, commended Okomu for facilitating the expansion of PIND’s interventions. “Although PIND has worked extensively across the Niger Delta, this partnership with Okomu has provided a gateway to extend our impact into Edo State,” he explained.

The partnership is built on a multifaceted strategy focused on five key pillars: Peace Building, Market System Development, Youth Employment Pathways (YEP), Access to Finance, and Access to Energy. Through the Youth Employment Pathways (YEP) component, the program will leverage the Benin Technical College’s infrastructure to provide high-demand vocational training in sectors such as Welding and Fabrication, Finished Leatherwork (Shoe Production), and Catering Services.

In his remarks, Mr. Fidelis Olise, Communications Officer, Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, highlighted the milestone in the firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda. “We are glad to have signed an MoU with PIND to carry out impactful CSR projects in our neighboring communities. With this partnership that is being signed between PIND and these government agencies, we are optimistic that more opportunities are being created for young people in our neighboring communities and in Edo State,” Olise said.

Under the partnership, Edo BTVE will provide specialized facilities for technical instruction, while EdoJobs will focus on fostering job placement opportunities and enterprise support for the trainees upon completion. This partnership reinforces the role of public-private collaboration in tackling youth unemployment and positions Edo State as a key part of PIND’s ongoing expansion to scale inclusive, skill-driven economic opportunities across the Niger Delta.