Peter Eze Youth Connect 2026 Draws Thousands in Enugu, Awards Five US Scholarships

Thousands of young people gathered at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Enugu, for the Peter Eze Youth Connect 2026, a programme focused on employment, skills development and access to opportunities in the Federal Civil Service.

The event, held on September 10 and themed “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths through the Federal Character Commission,” was organised by Peter Ogbonna Eze, the Federal Commissioner representing Enugu State on the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

The programme attracted youths from across Enugu State, with organisers reporting that the 5,000-capacity main hall was filled before the scheduled 10:00 a.m. start. Registration continued as attendees arrived at the venue.

Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, who represented Governor Peter Mbah, formally opened the programme. He commended the initiative and highlighted youth-focused programmes and economic initiatives of the state government.

Speaking at the event, Eze encouraged young people to remain informed and prepared to apply for vacancies whenever they are advertised. He also urged applicants to follow up on applications and rejected claims that federal jobs are allocated before vacancies are officially announced.

Eze thanked President Bola Tinubu, Governor Mbah and other officials for his appointment to the Federal Character Commission, while promising to continue supporting young people through his office.

FCC Executive Chairman, Ayo Omidiran, explained the constitutional responsibilities of the commission and outlined some of the opportunities available to Nigerian job seekers. She also provided guidance on how applicants could improve their chances of securing employment.

Other speakers focused on education, entrepreneurship and skills. Senator Emmanuel Onwe urged youths to combine preparation with opportunities, while agribusiness specialist Ronald Oroh discussed opportunities in agriculture. Representatives of DELYORK (IDICE) and Jobberman also provided information on technology, skills acquisition, employment opportunities, proposal writing and business planning.

One of the major highlights was the award of five fully funded scholarships to study in the United States, comprising three undergraduate and two postgraduate awards. The selection was supervised by Omidiran, Senator Onwe and Enugu State House of Assembly Speaker Uche Ugwu.

The undergraduate beneficiaries were Uche Michael Kenechukwu of Udi LGA, Okoro Vivian of Igbo-Eze North LGA and Chukwu Emeka David Chiemerie of Nkanu West LGA. The postgraduate awards went to Odo Emmanuel Nnamdi of Udenu LGA and Ugwu Chimobi of Nsukka LGA.

The beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the scholarships and for the information provided during the programme on employment and other opportunities. A question-and-answer session also allowed participants to engage directly with the organisers and speakers.

The event continued into the evening, with cultural performances, goodwill messages and testimonies from some beneficiaries of previous interventions attributed to Eze. The programme ended at about 6:30 p.m.

The event brought together government officials, lawmakers, business leaders, youth groups and other stakeholders. Its organisers said the initiative was designed to improve young people’s awareness of employment and development opportunities while encouraging them to pursue available programmes on their own merits.