NPower News Today: FG Kicks Off Skills Training for 18,000 Artisans and Job Seekers Across Nigeria. 14 vocational areas, 229 accredited centres, 36 state and FCT.
The Federal Government has officially launched vocational skills training for more than 18,000 artisans and unemployed Nigerians across 229 accredited centres nationwide, providing entrepreneurship training and trade starter packs to boost self-employment.
For thousands of Nigerians looking for a fresh start, this week marks more than the beginning of another government programme. It marks the chance to turn practical skills into real income.
From Tuesday, over 18,000 artisans and unemployed Nigerians will begin vocational training at 229 accredited centres spread across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. It’s an ambitious nationwide effort designed to give participants more than classroom lessons—it aims to put tools, skills and opportunities directly into their hands.
Training Designed to Build Self-Reliance
The initiative is being implemented by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), with a clear goal: help Nigerians gain stronger vocational skills, receive entrepreneurship training and leave with trade-specific starter packs that can help them build sustainable livelihoods.
Rather than focusing solely on financial assistance, the programme is centred on helping participants create income for themselves through practical work and small businesses.
Speaking during the official inauguration in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, said the programme reflects President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to move vulnerable Nigerians from dependence toward economic independence.
“One of the key reasons why we are doing this flag-off is to ensure that over 18,000 Nigerians are empowered through skill acquisition so that they can get into that pathway from vulnerability to self-sustainability,” the minister said.
The message was straightforward. The objective isn’t simply to train people for two weeks—it is to give them a pathway to earn a living long after the programme ends.
Who Will Benefit?
This programme isn’t aimed at complete beginners. According to Dr Doro, participants are Nigerians who already possess some vocational experience but need additional technical training to improve their productivity and competitiveness.
“The beneficiaries are people who have acquired some sort of soft skills already. They will be up-skilled and then given tools so that they can begin to trade with them,” Doro said.
It’s a practical approach. Instead of starting from scratch, the government hopes to sharpen existing abilities and provide the equipment needed for beneficiaries to immediately put their new skills to work.
Digital Tracking to Improve Accountability
Government empowerment programmes are often judged by what happens after the launch ceremonies. Acknowledging that challenge, Dr Doro said the ministry has established a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system to track participants and the distribution of starter packs.
According to him, the framework includes a digital tracking system designed to monitor beneficiaries throughout the programme and after they receive their equipment.
The goal is to ensure that resources reach the intended recipients while allowing the ministry to monitor the programme’s long-term impact.
Training Across Nigeria’s Six Geopolitical Zones
NSIPA’s National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer, Badamasi Lawal, explained that the programme will be delivered through accredited government technical colleges, vocational institutions and approved training centres located across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
With 229 accredited centres participating, the initiative is expected to reach beneficiaries from every part of the country.
Participants Will Learn 14 Vocational Trades
Beneficiaries will receive training in 14 different vocational areas, giving them opportunities to build careers in industries that remain in demand across Nigeria.
The trades include:
- Automobile technology
- Agriculture
- Baking and confectionery
- Carpentry
- Catering
- Electrical installation
- Fashion design
- Plumbing
- Welding
- Masonry
- Hospitality
- Jewellery making
- Grinding machine operations
- Vulcanising
These sectors continue to offer employment opportunities and small business potential across both urban and rural communities.
More Than a Two-Week Training
What ultimately determines the success of programmes like this isn’t the ribbon-cutting ceremony or the speeches. It’s what happens when participants return home with new skills, new confidence and the tools to start earning.
NPower News Today: FG Kicks Off Skills Training for 18,000 Artisans and Job Seekers Across Nigeria
For more than 18,000 Nigerians, the next two weeks could become the foundation for something much bigger—a business, a steady income and, hopefully, a future built through skill rather than circumstance.
SOURCE: Punch New