FG Targets 5 Million Nigerians for Poverty Reduction Through Skills Acquisition

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to lift five million young Nigerians out of poverty through skills acquisition and empowerment programmes aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, employment and sustainable livelihoods.

The initiative, implemented under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), is designed to equip young people with practical, market-relevant skills and opportunities to achieve economic independence.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Dr Abiola Arogundade, disclosed this on Monday during the commencement of the programme’s Oyo State phase in Ibadan.

Arogundade said the training, scheduled to run from September 28 to October 9, forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to tackle youth unemployment and poverty through technical and vocational education.

According to her, the programme, which commenced in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has now been extended to Oyo State and will subsequently cover other states and geopolitical zones across the country.

She explained that 200 young Nigerians are participating in the Oyo State training, with 30 receiving instruction in Graphics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), while 85 participants each are undergoing training in makeup artistry and fashion design.

The presidential aide further disclosed that the Federal Government would distribute 500 tablets during the programme’s grand finale as part of its digital empowerment initiative.

“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,” she said.

Arogundade emphasised that the initiative goes beyond providing vocational skills, as beneficiaries would also be connected with organisations and business opportunities to help them establish sustainable livelihoods.

She encouraged participants to take full advantage of the training and use their newly acquired knowledge to create employment opportunities and empower others in their communities.

Speaking at the event, the keynote speaker for the Graphics and AI training, Mrs Oluronke Shonubi, highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence to accelerate Nigeria’s development and prepare young people for emerging employment opportunities.

Shonubi noted that equipping Nigerian youths with digital skills would improve their competitiveness in an increasingly technology-driven labour market.

One of the beneficiaries, Idowu Olalere, a 400-level student of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, commended the Federal Government for providing young Nigerians with opportunities to acquire relevant digital skills.

Similarly, two other participants, Mrs Iyabo Ajayi and Fatunbi Joshua, who are undergoing training in makeup artistry and fashion design respectively, expressed optimism that the programme would help reduce unemployment and encourage self-reliance.

At the end of the training, beneficiaries are expected to receive laptops, sewing machines and fully equipped makeup kits to enable them to establish their own businesses.

The Federal Government said the initiative forms part of its broader strategy to reduce poverty, promote inclusive economic growth and expand entrepreneurship opportunities for young Nigerians.