The Federal Government has launched a nationwide vocational and skills acquisition programme for more than 18,000 artisans and unemployed Nigerians, with training set to begin on Tuesday at 229 accredited centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The initiative, being implemented by the National Social Investment Programme Agency, aims to equip participants with vocational skills, entrepreneurship training and trade-specific starter packs to promote self-employment and reduce poverty.
Speaking at the programme’s inauguration in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, said the initiative aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda of moving vulnerable Nigerians from dependency to economic self-reliance.
“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.
He explained that the two-week training programme is targeted at Nigerians who already possess basic vocational knowledge and require additional technical skills to become more productive.
