James Emejo and Aminat Hassan in Abuja
Stakeholders in the creative sector have warned that billions of naira being channelled into vocational and practical skills development could yield little economic impact unless young entrepreneurs can overcome the twin constraints of unreliable power, limited finance and weak access to markets.
The concern emerged at the graduation ceremony of the 2026 class of Springfield Fashion Academy (SFA) in Abuja, over the weekend, where speakers expressed reservation that training young Nigerians was only the first step in tackling unemployment and expanding the pool of small businesses in the country.
The challenge, they said, was creating an environment in which newly acquired skills could be converted into sustainable enterprises capable of generating income and employment.
The Founder and Creative Director of SFA, Blessing Ugwuodo, said the academy had deliberately combined technical fashion training with business skills to enable graduates to operate beyond the traditional role of tailoring.
According to her, the fashion industry offers opportunities in production, branding, marketing, merchandising and other creative businesses, but young people must be equipped to identify and exploit those opportunities.
“At Springfield, we don’t just prepare them for the industry. When you learn fashion, it does not mean that all you are going to do is tailoring,” she said.
Ugwuodo said the academy’s Business of Fashion programme was designed to expose trainees to pricing, branding, marketing and the use of technology and social media to attract customers and build businesses.
She, however, said young Nigerians must also take responsibility for creating economic opportunities rather than waiting indefinitely for formal employment.
“Don’t wait for government. Don’t wait for employment. Do something with your hands. There are so many things to learn,” she said.
She urged young people to take advantage of digital platforms to market their products, noting that smartphones and social media could enable small businesses to reach customers beyond their immediate locations.
“You have your phone, you buy data and showcase what you are doing. The world is waiting for you. If people see what you are doing, then they will patronise you,” she added.
Ugwuodo, said the focus on employability and enterprise development had been central to the academy’s evolution since it was established eight years ago.
She recalled that the academy began with a three-member team and three sewing machines but had since developed into a structured training institution serving women, men and children.
“We are no more three team members using three machines. It’s actually a proper training academy,” she said.
She said the academy had trained people from different educational and social backgrounds, including widows and people living with disabilities, stressing that practical skills could provide economic opportunities regardless of formal educational attainment.
The academy’s experience, she added, showed that creativity was not restricted by age, with some of its younger trainees already able to produce garments within a few hours.
Ugwuodo also called on government at all levels to take skills development initiatives closer to communities through organisations with established capacity to provide practical training.
Also, former Senator Ben Obi called for greater government support for institutions providing practical training, arguing that expanding the reach of such organisations could increase the number of young Nigerians equipped to earn a living independently.
Obi, who spoke to THISDAY on the sidelines of the ceremony, said academic qualifications should be complemented by practical capabilities capable of generating income.
He said, “We must not only rely on certificates to survive. We must equally rely on our skills to be able to put food on the table for us and our families.”
He urged government to provide funding and other forms of support to training institutions, saying successful private-sector models could be replicated across the country.
According to him, “If Springfield and others are encouraged by government, they can set up branches across the country that would be useful.”
A former Federal Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sani Gwarzo, similarly described private-sector investment in skills development as an important component of efforts to address youth unemployment.
Gwarzo said he was impressed by the expertise displayed by the graduates and the academy’s decision to introduce children to fashion design and tailoring at an early age.
“There is no empowerment that is as good as giving people skills. I am really amazed at the level of expertise being demonstrated by Nigerians,” he said.
He argued that initiatives driven by individuals and private organisations could complement government interventions by expanding access to practical skills.
However, one of the graduating students, Mercy Gabriel, illustrated the difficulty of making that transition from training to enterprise, identifying electricity and funding as major constraints to small-business growth.
Gabriel, who runs a fashion brand, said the academy had equipped her with garment construction, couture and streetwear production, as well as practical knowledge of pricing, marketing and social media.
Yet, she said inadequate electricity had directly affected her production capacity, forcing her to work at night when power was available.
She said, “I feel the government should really work on electricity, then also funding for small businesses, grants.”
Gabriel said the training had transformed her ability to produce for the market, but stressed that the next challenge was creating conditions in which businesses like hers could survive and expand.
Another graduate, Peter Ebenezer, described the training as challenging but rewarding, saying the knowledge and support received had prepared him to pursue opportunities in the fashion industry.