By Sodiq Adelakun
Lagos State is set to transform youth employment with the maiden Lagos Corps Members (LACORPS) Summit 2025, an initiative designed to equip young people with practical skills to create jobs and drive economic growth.
The summit, held at Assbifi Event Centre on Wednesday, targets Corps Members residing in Lagos.
Honourable Mobolaji Abubakre Ogunlende, Commissioner for the Ministry of Youth and Social Development (MYSD), emphasized the importance of building solution-oriented youth who can identify problems and turn them into opportunities.
“We want to build youth who will be able to provide solutions wherever they find themselves, becoming job creators instead of seeking white-collar jobs after graduation. Every problem is an opportunity to unleash creativity and innovation and change our environment for the better,” he said.
Represented by Mr Ibukun Dosunmu, Director of General Services in MYSD, Ogunlende explained that the summit provides hands-on training in production, agro-enterprise, and digital media skills such as video editing using mobile devices.
Participants also gain access to tools and techniques that prepare them to not just seek jobs, but create jobs and become economic drivers within their communities.
The summit will also expose participants to MYPROGIG, an innovative program designed to encourage youth to explore non-traditional opportunities, experiment with modern tools, and embrace creativity as a pathway to economic independence.
Permanent Secretary, Pharm (Mrs) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu, represented by Mr Hameed Lukman Adeyemi, Director in the Youth Department, described the summit as a historic initiative aligned with the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“The LACORPS Summit is designed to equip youth with skills to tackle growing unemployment, focusing on creative industries and agriculture. It fosters entrepreneurship, collaboration, mentorship, and bold problem-solving,” she said.
Mrs Christiana Salmwang, Lagos State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), commended the initiative, urging participants to take full advantage of the program to start businesses post-service and avoid joining the ranks of the unemployed.
The summit featured resource persons including Mr Segun Adaramola (Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation), Mr Wale Thompson John (Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment), Dr Bukola Sadiku (Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems), Mr Ayobami Okanola (Lagos State Empowerment Trust Fund), and Ambassador Lucky Matthew, who conducted sessions on entrepreneurship, business plan development, financial literacy, and economic adaptation.