The 2025 edition of the Youth Empowered (YE) tour kicked off in style in Kaduna, marking another major step in the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd.’s mission to equip young Nigerians with essential skills for success.
Over two inspiring days, participants arrived at the event filled with expectations, and left with nothing short of renewed confidence, practical knowledge, and valuable connections to drive their personal and professional growth.
The Kaduna edition delivered a mix of insightful learning sessions and engaging activities designed to equip participants with critical skills for career and business success. The training workshops covered key courses such as, Adaptability and Resilience, Customer Service and Effective Communication, Project Management, Business Planning and Time Management, with each session led by a seasoned facilitator who shared practical tips, real-world examples, and guidance to help the youths turn ideas into achievable goals.
In addition to the workshops, participants took part in a Small Business Class—an interactive exercise where they pitched their business ideas to a panel of judges. Several participants won business grants, giving them a financial boost to take their small businesses to the next level.
Youth Empowered in Kaduna city was charged with excitement, learning, and collaboration as these young entrepreneurs exchanged ideas, formed partnerships, and received mentorship from industry professionals.
Driving Youth Empowerment Across Nigeria
The Kaduna event marks the first stop on NBC’s 2025 Youth Empowered Tour, reaffirming the company’s long-standing investment in the future of Nigerian youth.
Launched in 2017, the Youth Empowered initiative has become one of the most impactful youth development programs across Nigeria and 28 other Coca-Cola HBC markets. Having already surpassed its target of reaching one million young people by 2025, the program continues to serve as a springboard for skills development, entrepreneurship, and nation building.
In recent months, NBC has enhanced the Youth Empowered platform with new experiential learning opportunities. Earlier this year, select participants joined an intensive culinary masterclass, where three winners each received ₦1 million to support their businesses in the growing food and hospitality sector. Ten other beneficiaries were placed in NBC offices for hands-on work experience, helping them gain practical exposure to workplace dynamics.
Next Stops
Following the success in Kaduna, the Youth Empowered 2025 Tour will move on to Benue, Ondo, Port Harcourt, Edo, Niger, Jos, and Delta, building on the momentum from the 2024 edition, which reached thousands of young people in Abuja, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Enugu, Lagos, Kano, Anambra, and Maiduguri.
