President **[Bola Tinubu](https://www.president.gov.ng)** announced that Nigeria’s most valuable resource is not the mineral wealth beneath its soil but the talent, creativity and resilience of its youthful population. The statement was made during the flag‑off ceremony for the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Centre for Youth Empowerment and Inter‑Cultural Dialogue, located on the campus of **[Obafemi Awolowo University](https://www.oauife.edu.ng)** in Ile‑Ife, Osun State, on the weekend.
Key points from the event include:
- The centre is intended to serve as a structured platform where young Nigerians can acquire market‑relevant skills, turn ideas into businesses, and receive mentorship from industry and international partners.
- Tinubu emphasized that the success of the institution will be judged by the opportunities it creates and the lives it transforms, not by the grandeur of its buildings.
- He called for collaborative partnerships among universities, the private sector, government agencies, investors and development organisations to link youth with economic prospects.
- Vice‑Chancellor Professor Simeon Bamire described the centre as a response to high unemployment, limited skills access and social exclusion, aiming to foster entrepreneurship, digital innovation, leadership and peacebuilding.
**What does the centre aim to achieve?**
The facility will house an international conference and dialogue complex, a digital innovation and learning duplex, an entrepreneurship and incubation hub, a scholars‑and‑creators lodge, a cultural exhibition space and community‑engagement centre, together with administrative and research infrastructure. Its programmes are designed to promote human‑capital development, job creation, inclusive growth and social cohesion across Nigeria and the wider African continent.
**Why is the centre considered timely?**
Tinubu noted that the initiative arrives at a moment when Nigeria’s young population faces persistent challenges such as unemployment and unequal economic opportunities. He asserted, “Today is more than a ceremonial occasion. It is a statement of national purpose. It represents an investment in the aspirations of our young people, a commitment to the unity of our country, and a recognition that Nigeria’s greatest resource is not merely what lies beneath its soil, but the talent, creativity, resilience and enterprise of its people.”
**What are the expectations for the future?**
The President envisages the centre evolving into a hub of transformation that produces capable leaders, responsible citizens, innovative entrepreneurs and globally competitive professionals. He urged that the institution become a meeting point for academia, industry, government, investors, civil society and international development bodies.
In his welcome address, Professor Bamire highlighted that the centre will provide a sustainable platform for equipping youths with practical competencies, fostering enterprise, and linking talent with meaningful opportunities. He added that the centre aims to become an internationally recognised venue where Nigerian, African and global youths can collaborate to devise solutions to shared challenges.
The commissioning of the building is slated for January, although the specific year was not disclosed in the available information.