By Isaac Mission
The Federal Government has extended its National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) skills initiative to Enugu, Oyo and Kebbi states, with 600 young Nigerians set to benefit from practical vocational and digital training.
The programme is being implemented through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP-TVEE) as part of efforts to promote economic opportunities and reduce poverty across the country.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on TVEE, Dr Abiola Arogundade, said the initiative is designed to equip young people with skills that can translate into employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable sources of income.
According to Arogundade, the programme forms part of the Federal Government's wider objective of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty over a 10-year period through economic expansion and targeted social intervention.
She explained that the pilot phase, which began in Abuja on June 30, 2025, recorded significant interest, with more than 7,000 applications received.
The initial trainees underwent a 10-day programme covering areas such as cybersecurity, web development and solar energy installation. Arogundade said participants were able to apply their newly acquired knowledge to practical projects, including website development and digital security exercises.
Graduates of the pilot programme also received laptops and certificates after completing their training.
The nationwide expansion will be implemented across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones. Each regional hub will train 200 young people, with programmes expected to run for between 10 days and two weeks, depending on the location and course.
Arogundade said the choice of vocational areas would be guided by local economic opportunities, market demand and the interests of participants.
For the first phase of the national rollout, a total of 1,200 youths are expected to participate across the six zones.
In Oyo State, which serves as the South-West hub, training is scheduled to begin on September 28, 2026. Participants will attend classes from 9am to 5pm over a two-week period and will receive training in graphics and artificial intelligence design, makeup and fashion designing.
The South-East programme in Enugu will focus on makeup, solar energy installation and fashion designing. Trainees in the solar energy stream will learn about solar panel installation, maintenance and off-grid power solutions.
In Kebbi, representing the North-West hub, participants will be trained in graphics and AI design, fashion designing and agriculture. The agricultural component will concentrate on yoghurt production, dairy processing, packaging and small-scale agribusiness.
The government also plans to provide beneficiaries with training equipment to help them begin using their skills after the programme.
According to Arogundade, graphics and AI trainees will receive laptops, while makeup trainees will be given complete makeup kits. Fashion participants will receive sewing machines and starter packs, while those trained in yoghurt production will get fermentation kits.
The initiative is expected to provide participating youths with both technical knowledge and basic tools needed to pursue income-generating activities after completing the training.