The Federal Government has commenced a nationwide vocational and skills development programme aimed at empowering more than 18,000 artisans and unemployed Nigerians, with training scheduled to begin on Tuesday at 229 approved centres spread across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The programme, coordinated by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), is designed to provide participants with practical vocational training, entrepreneurship education and trade-specific starter kits to encourage self-employment and reduce poverty.
Speaking during the official launch in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, said the initiative supports President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by helping vulnerable citizens achieve economic independence.
According to the minister, the programme seeks to move thousands of Nigerians from dependency to self-sufficiency through practical skills that can generate sustainable income.
He explained that the two-week training is intended for individuals who already possess basic vocational knowledge but require additional technical training to improve their productivity. Upon completion, participants will receive the necessary tools to enable them to start or expand their businesses.
Doro also disclosed that a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system, including digital tracking technology, has been introduced to monitor beneficiaries and ensure the proper use of the starter packs distributed after the training.
The National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of NSIPA, Badamasi Lawal, said the programme will be delivered through accredited government technical colleges, vocational institutions and other approved training centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
He stated that beneficiaries will receive training in 14 vocational fields, including agriculture, automobile technology, baking and confectionery, carpentry, catering, electrical installation, fashion design, plumbing, welding, masonry, hospitality, jewellery making, grinding machine operations and vulcanising.
In addition to technical training, participants will undergo entrepreneurship courses covering business management, financial literacy, digital literacy, customer relations and business sustainability before receiving starter packs tailored to their chosen trades.
Lawal explained that beneficiaries were selected through an inclusive process involving the National Assembly, state governments, traditional and religious leaders, community development groups, youth and women organisations, persons with disabilities and other stakeholders.
He noted that priority was given to unemployed youths, women, vulnerable groups and economically disadvantaged Nigerians capable of building sustainable livelihoods through the programme.
Lawal further revealed that the initiative was introduced to address rising youth unemployment while making productive use of thousands of vocational starter packs that had remained unused in government warehouses because of administrative delays.
He added that many of the stored equipment had begun to deteriorate, leading to increased storage costs. Rather than allowing the assets to waste away, the Federal Government approved their refurbishment and distribution to qualified participants after completing the practical training.
He also warned beneficiaries against selling the equipment, stressing that every starter pack distributed under the programme would be digitally tracked.
