The two-day strategic engagement, spearheaded by Hon. Arinze Chilo-Offiah, Special Adviser to the Governor on MSMEs and Digital Economy and Director-General of the Enugu SME Center with support from Dr. Chinyere Onyishi, the Special Adviser on Education Innovation (representing the Honorable Commissioner for Education) and NELFUND, a key initiatives of President Bola Ahmend Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Program brought together key education stakeholders, government officials, traditional leaders, and community representatives to align on policy, infrastructure, and implementation.

Day 1 was anchored around the full rollout of NELFUND’s zero-interest loan program for tertiary students, which covers tuition fees and offers an optional ₦20,000 monthly upkeep allowance for up to 12 months. The digital application process requires JAMB verification, NIN, and institutional confirmation. Funds are disbursed directly to institutions.

Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director/CEO of NELFUND, led a high-level session with Vice Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, Registrars, and Deans of Student Affairs across Enugu State, emphasizing the urgent need for institutional participation to ensure students can access the funding without delay.

Simultaneously, Executive Director of Operations Mr. Mustapha Iyal held technical sessions with ICT Directors and MIS officers, aligning on backend data structures, feedback mechanisms, and automation to streamline disbursement.

Despite Enugu’s strong education credentials, the state currently ranks 33rd of 36 in NELFUND application uptake. The Day 1 engagement served to reposition Enugu for immediate progress and deeper participation.

Traditional rulers, local government chairpersons, and education leaders engaged in an interactive Q&A session—raising concerns on application delays, age limitations, feedback gaps, and part-time student eligibility. NELFUND assured participants of improvements including dashboard alerts, USSD rollout, and institutional dashboards.

Day 2 spotlighted Enugu’s readiness to implement the newly introduced ₦1 Billion Skills Acquisition Loan Program, a federal intervention designed to fund non-academic learning pathways in high-demand sectors such as fashion, tech, renewable energy, animation, digital services, and skilled trades- which aligns with the Enugu State Human Capital Development Loan Programme

The team toured the newly revamped GTC, a technical education hub now fully equipped for trades like welding, mechanical work, electrical installation, and construction. The tour was led by Dr. Amaka Ngene, Chairman of the Science, Technical and Vocational Schools Management Board, Enugu, who showcased the modernized workshops and emphasized the role of GTC in training artisans aligned with the federal skills agenda

At the Enugu State College of Education (Technical), the delegation visited the D-SEZ—a smart, tech-enabled training facility focused on digital literacy, software engineering, design, and online entrepreneurship. The D-SEZ is part of Enugu’s broader strategy to train 50,000 youths annually in digital economy-aligned skills.

These tours highlighted Enugu’s unique infrastructure advantage and validated its capacity to serve as the national testbed for the Skills Loan rollout

Goodwill messages from the Vice Chancellor of ESUT, the Rector of IMT, the Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers, and other key stakeholders reinforced cross-sector support for long-term success

With the rollout of zero-interest student loans and the launch of the ₦1 Billion Skills Acquisition Loan Program, Enugu is rewriting the playbook for education financing and workforce development in Nigeria. From academic tuition access to technical empowerment, the state is providing its youth with the tools to thrive in a modern economy.

This initiative is not just about loans—it is about inclusion, opportunity, and transformation. Under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah, Enugu is showing what it means to build a future where no learner is left behind.

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Ikenga Media and Cultural Awareness Initiatives, IMCAI, organized a one-day mentoring workshop for mass communication students at Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT.

The one-day workshop, themed “Building a Satisfying Career in Journalism,” took place on July 5, 2024, and featured sessions led by experienced journalists, Mrs. Chiamaka Okafor and Mr. Chinagorom Ugwu of Premium Times Newspaper

The workshop began with participants registering for the event, led by Ikengaonline’s Editor-in-Chief, Uche Ugboajah’s opening speech. The head of Department of Mass Communication delivered a welcome address and urged the students to make use of the workshop to increase their learning.

The Editor-in-Chief, Uche Ugboajah gave opening remarks, and a group photograph was taken, featuring all participants, including lecturers and Ikenga officials.

Mrs. Chiamaka Okafor, a journalist and Executive Director of Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue Foundation, who led the first session on “Journalism at a Glance”, defined  journalism as a profession and social responsibility.

She dismissed the idea that ‘journalism doesn’t pay the bills,’ declaring that the profession offers diverse opportunities for supplementary income. She quipped, “The sky is wide enough for us to do other things for a source of income….” She emphasized that a good journalistic piece should possess certain qualities, which she elaborated on, providing insight into the characteristics of a good news story.

 The session became more interactive as students were grouped to write news articles, with Group Three emerging as the winner. She presented the group leader with a N2000 reward, acknowledging their efforts. Then, she took the time to provide constructive feedback, pointing out areas for improvement in their news articles. Through her guidance, she enlightened and encouraged the students, helping them grow in their journalistic skills.

Mr. Chinagorom Ugwu, a journalist with Premium Times, shared his journalism experience, highlighting ethical issues and encouraging students to establish a campus journalists’ union.

He began by introducing the concept of a campus journalists’ union, which he experienced first-hand at his alma mater, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, UNIZIK. He encouraged the department to establish a similar union, complementing their existing ESUT Monitor Newspaper.

Sharing his personal journey, he recounted how his passion for journalism began even before university, earning him recognition from lecturers and peers for staying on top of trending issues. He shared stories of his determination, from contacting Vanguard newspaper to landing a post-graduation internship, which left a lasting impression on professionals in the field emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations when writing news stories.

Students shared their takeaways from the workshop and Ikenga presented certificates and cash awards to participants.

Additionally, the Head of Department presented a copy of the ESUT Monitor to the Editor-in-Chief of Ikengaonline, Uche Ugboajah, as a token of appreciation for their collaboration and support in organizing the workshop.

 In an interview with ESUT Monitor, Mrs. Chiamaka Okafor revealed that the workshop was also held at UNIZIK as part of its focus on South Eastern universities. She expressed her desire to return and see the progress of the students. When asked about the perception of journalism as a low-paying profession, she emphasized that “quality journalism speaks for itself.” On coping with insecurity, she quoted her mentor, “No story is worth your life,” highlighting the importance of security training and analysis for journalists. She shared her passion for storytelling and her desire to continue writing news stories.

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