Governor Aiyedatiwa Launches Youth Investment and Solar Initiatives

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State announced a plan to purchase shares in the Dangote Group for 500 young entrepreneurs to promote financial inclusion and wealth creation. Speaking at the 2026 Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA) Entrepreneurs Summit in Akure, Aiyedatiwa explained that the initiative is designed to introduce youth to capital market investments. While some reports refer to the broader Dangote Group of Companies, others specify the investment targets the Dangote Petroleum Refinery IPO.

During the summit, Aiyedatiwa also launched the Lucky Light Initiative, which will provide solar electricity to 1,000 small businesses across 18 local government areas. Additionally, the governor awarded N80 million in grants through the ONDEA My IDEA program, providing N4 million each to 20 selected entrepreneurs.

These programs are part of a state strategy to shift Ondo State away from a civil service-based economy. Aiyedatiwa stated that the goal is to move toward an economy driven by innovation, processing, and the export of value-added products to local and global markets.