The Federal Government has commenced registration for Batch B of the Youth Economic Intervention and De-RadicalisationProgramme (YEIDEP), an initiative designed to empower 20 million young Nigerians with start-up capital and structured support mechanisms.
Nationwide registration is scheduled to begin on March 9, 2026. However, the process will be conducted separately in Kano State, where the Governor, Mr. Abba Yusuf, will personally oversee the exercise.
The Coordinator-General of the programme, Mr. Kennedy Iyere, said YEIDEP is targeted at Nigerians aged between 18 and 50 years, with a strong focus on promoting entrepreneurship and self-employment as a strategy to address unemployment, poverty, and the growing risk of youth radicalisation.
“YEIDEP’s core mandate is to tackle Nigeria’s chronic youth unemployment, youth poverty, and youth hopelessness, as well as the associated threats of youth radicalisation, socio-political instability, national insecurity, and economic unproductivity,” Mr. Iyere stated.
He explained that prospective applicants must visit designated partner banks to open a YEIDEP bank account as part of the registration process, stressing that the account opening is entirely free of charge.
Mr. Iyere also warned applicants against registering more than once, noting that violators would be automatically disqualified.
“We also strictly want to warn against double or multiple registration, as anyone found guilty of such shall be disqualified automatically,” he said.
He added that individuals who registered during Batch A but did not receive confirmed YEIDEP bank accounts remain eligible to apply under Batch B.
However, applicants who already have confirmed YEIDEP bank accounts from Batch A are not eligible to participate in the new registration round.
