The ECOWAS Youth Employability Project gives young Nigerians free, practical training in agriculture and agribusiness, implemented by the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN). The 2025 cycle successfully trained 300 Nigerian youths, formally inaugurated at the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria in Abuja — and evidence points to this being an ongoing, multi-year regional initiative, not a single one-time opportunity.
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ECOWAS Youth Employability Project Summary
| Programme Name ⇒ | ECOWAS Youth Employability Project (ECOWAS-YEP) |
| Host Country ⇒ | Nigeria |
| Study Level ⇒ | Training |
| Eligibility ⇒ | Nigerian citizens, aged 18–35 |
| Benefits ⇒ | Free training, mentorship, and certification in organic agriculture and agribusiness |
| Application Status ⇒ | No currently confirmed open call. Ongoing, multi-year regional initiative — watch NOAN’s official channels for the next cohort. |
About the ECOWAS Youth Employability Project
ECOWAS-YEP is part of the broader ECOWAS Strategy on Youth Employability, backed by a genuine, sustained financial commitment — ECOWAS committed over $2.2 million between 2024 and 2025 to fund agricultural training centres across the region, including Nigeria, with a separate $1,746,472 grant specifically targeting 3,450 young people trained through NOAN and partner regional bodies.
The goal, per ECOWAS’s own stated ambition, is significant: by 2030, the Commission expects one in every four young people entering West Africa’s job market to find employment in agriculture and agri-food value chains.
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What the Training Covers
Participants build practical skills across:
- Organic farming techniques and agroecology
- Compost and organic pesticide production
- Business planning and cooperative building
- Value chain development for crops including vegetables, yams, sesame, and ginger
- Connections to markets, cooperative schemes, and digital platforms to help grow their own agribusiness
Training combines online learning with onsite practical sessions at select centres, including Ibadan, Umudike, and Zaria.
Eligibility Requirements
- Be a Nigerian citizen
- Be between 18 and 35 years old (some specific regional modules and partnerships, like the FRIN collaboration, have run separate sessions for narrower age brackets — check the specific call you’re applying to)
- Have a genuine interest in agriculture, specifically the Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral Heuristics (ASPH) sector
- Be willing to commit to both online and onsite training components
- Be genuinely motivated to create impact in agri-food value chains — the programme actively welcomes applicants of all genders, with women and marginalised groups specifically encouraged to apply
What You’ll Gain
- Practical training in organic farming and agribusiness
- Free mentorship to help develop your own business ideas
- A certificate in organic agriculture
- Skills in group work, cooperative building, and business record-keeping
- Hands-on knowledge of compost and organic pesticide production, and crop-specific growing techniques
Required Documents
- A valid ID card (NIN, Driver’s Licence, Voter’s Card, or International Passport)
- A short motivation letter explaining your interest
- A passport-style photo, if requested
- Your CV and any relevant educational certificates
How to Apply, When a New Call Opens
- Check your eligibility against the criteria above
- Prepare your CV, valid ID, motivation letter, educational certificates, and passport photo in advance
- Watch NOAN’s official channels and ECOWAS’s regional agriculture programme announcements directly for the next open call, since specific application windows and locations shift by cohort and region
- When a call is open, applications typically run through an official Google Form hosted by ECOWAS/NOAN — complete every section carefully and upload all required documents
- Submit before the stated deadline for that specific call
- Screened candidates are invited into Module 1 (online training), followed by further onsite modules
Official Application Portal
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ECOWAS Youth Employability Project a one-time opportunity?
No, based on the evidence available. The programme successfully trained 300 youths in its 2025 cycle and has continued expanding since, including a new partnership with the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria announced in October 2025. This appears to be an ongoing, multi-year regional initiative.
Is there a currently open application call?
Not confirmed at the time of this update. Watch NOAN’s official channels directly, since new calls and partnership-specific training sessions have continued to open in different regions since the original 2025 cohort.
What age range is eligible for ECOWAS-YEP?
Generally 18 to 35, though some specific regional partnerships and modules have run separate sessions for narrower age brackets — always check the specific call you’re applying to.
Is this training free?
Yes. ECOWAS-YEP is a fully funded training initiative, backed by direct ECOWAS financial commitment, with no cost to eligible participants.
What organisation implements this programme in Nigeria?
The Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN), in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and regional institutions like the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria.
Disclaimer: Programme details were verified against multiple independent news sources and organisational announcements as of August 2026. No currently open application call was confirmed at the time of this update — always check NOAN’s official channels directly for the current status of any new cohort.
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