By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
The Federal Government has said its skills acquisition and empowerment programmes are designed to lift five million young Nigerians out of poverty and promote sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative, implemented under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), aims to equip young Nigerians with practical, market-relevant skills that will promote economic independence and improve employability.
Dr Abiola Arogundade, Senior Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP-TVEE), coordinator of the programme, disclosed this on Monday in Ibadan at the commencement of the programme’s Oyo State phase, which will run from September 28 to October 9.
She said the training is part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to empowering Nigerians through technical, vocational and entrepreneurial education.
Arogundade said the programme, which began in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has moved to Oyo State and would be extended to other states and geopolitical zones across the country.
Under the Oyo State phase, 200 young Nigerians are being trained in Graphics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), makeup artistry and fashion designing.
Of the beneficiaries, 30 participants are undergoing training in Graphics/AI, while 85 each are receiving training in makeup artistry and fashion designing.
Arogundade said the initiative went beyond skills acquisition, adding that beneficiaries would be connected to organisations and business opportunities to support their transition into sustainable livelihoods.
“So with this programme, we are training 200 people. We will also be distributing 500 tablets during the grand finale of the programme as part of the Federal Government’s digital empowerment drive.
“We are directly empowering 700 people in this programme and there will be multiplier effect.
“We are not just training them for themselves but we are training them for their communities, for the population, and for all the states in Nigeria,” she said.
She urged participants to take the training seriously, maximise the opportunity and use their newly acquired skills to empower others within their communities.
“I want to just encourage them to do their best.
“I want to encourage them to know that President Bola Tinubu is thinking about all Nigerians, all young Nigerians in the country and ready to address their plights,” she said.
The presidential aide reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to creating opportunities for young Nigerians to become economically self-reliant through practical training and entrepreneurship development.
Earlier, the keynote speaker for the Graphics/AI training, Mrs Oluronke Shonubi, said the growing adoption of artificial intelligence presented Nigeria with opportunities to accelerate development, improve employability and prepare young people for emerging jobs.
One of the beneficiaries, Idowu Olalere, a 400-level student of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for providing young Nigerians with opportunities to acquire emerging digital skills.
Olalere said the training would help bridge the gap between existing skills and evolving labour market requirements.
Two other beneficiaries, Mrs Iyabo Ajayi, a makeup trainee, and Fatunbi Joshua, a fashion design trainee, also expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the opportunity.
They expressed optimism that the initiative would contribute to reducing unemployment by equipping participants with practical skills and opportunities for self-employment.
At the conclusion of the training, participants will receive laptops, sewing machines and fully equipped makeup kits to support their entrepreneurial pursuits and facilitate the establishment of sustainable businesses.
The programme forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to promote inclusive economic growth, reduce poverty and expand opportunities for young Nigerians through technical and vocational education.
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