Osun State Launches YICCCARE Cooperative: Pioneering Youth-Led Climate-Smart Growth “Driving Climate-Smart Growth Through Youth and Commerce”
Osogbo, Osun State – September 30, 2025
The Osun State Government, through the Office of the Director-General and Special Envoy of the Governor on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative – YICCCARE Cooperative (Youth in Climate Change, Circular Economy, Commerce, Agriculture, and Renewable Energy) – with the aim of transforming youth and small businesses into champions of sustainable economic growth.
The official launch brought together 30 innovative business owners across diverse sectors – ranging from food processing, palm oil production, carpentry, Aso-Oke weaving, IT, media, organic skincare, and farming – signaling a bold step toward creating a climate-smart economic ecosystem in Osun State.
In her remarks, the Director-General underscored the achievements of her office over the past year, including policy breakthroughs in climate change, circular economy and renewable energy, as well as the establishment of actionable frameworks that inspired this new cooperative model.
“This cooperative is about more than business – it is about building a legacy of resilience and prosperity,” the DG declared. “We want young people and small business owners to see themselves not as bystanders, but as architects of Osun’s climate-smart future.”
She further reaffirmed the Adeleke administration’s dedication to grassroots empowerment, inclusivity, and transparent governance – citing flagship projects such as the state’s Recycling Hub as evidence of Osun’s progress in sustainability and job creation.
Business owners welcomed the initiative with excitement, while calling for fairness and accountability in its execution. Addressing their concerns, the DG emphasized that YICCCARE is designed to create employment, boost Osun’s GDP, attract foreign investment, and guarantee that no one is left behind in the transition to a sustainable economy.
The session concluded with a collective resolution to develop a youth-in-commerce investment portfolio under YICCCARE, with participants contributing feedback to shape its roadmap for implementation.
With this launch, Osun State positions itself as a national trailblazer in linking climate action to commerce and youth empowerment, setting a new benchmark for inclusive, future-driven development.
Signed:
Office of the Director-General and Special Envoy of the Governor of Osun State
on Climate Change and Renewable Energy
📧 Climatechangeosunstateoffice@gmail.com
