Youths in Oyo, Enugu and Kebbi States are set to benefit from a Federal Government skills development programme aimed at improving employability, supporting entrepreneurship and creating alternative sources of income.
The expansion forms part of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), being implemented through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education.
Abiola Arogundade, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, said the programme was designed to equip young Nigerians with practical skills aligned with local economic opportunities.
Under the expansion, 200 trainees are expected to benefit in each participating zone, with the areas of training selected based on market demand, relevance and participants’ interests.
In Oyo State, training is scheduled to commence on September 28, 2026, with participants expected to receive training in graphics and artificial intelligence design, makeup and fashion designing.
The programme in Enugu will focus on makeup, solar energy installation and fashion designing, while beneficiaries in Kebbi will be trained in graphics and artificial intelligence design, fashion designing and agriculture, particularly yoghurt production.
The beneficiaries are also expected to receive equipment and starter kits to enable them to apply the skills acquired after completing the programme.
The support packages include laptops for graphics and AI trainees, makeup kits, sewing machines and fashion-design starter kits, as well as fermentation kits for participants trained in yoghurt production.
The Federal Government said the initiative was intended to strengthen self-reliance among young people, reduce unemployment and underemployment, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The programme was initially piloted in Abuja in June 2025, where participants received training in areas including cybersecurity, web development and solar energy installation.
More than 7,000 applications were reportedly received during the Abuja phase, with successful participants receiving certificates and training equipment, including laptops.
Arogundade said the initiative formed part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and supports the government’s long-term target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within 10 years.
The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education also called on state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders and private-sector organisations to support the programme as it expands to additional states.
The government said continued collaboration with stakeholders would be important to ensuring that beneficiaries can translate their newly acquired skills into businesses, employment and sustainable economic opportunities.
