Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Government has announced the rollout of a *₦120 billion nationwide youth skills acquisition programme, targeting the training of at least *60,000 young Nigerians within three months through qualified private sector firms.
The initiative, which aims to tackle rising youth unemployment, was unveiled on Tuesday during the Adolescent and Youth Ministerial Dialogue on Wellbeing, Health, and Development held in Abuja.
According to the *Minister of State for Education, **Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, who was represented by **Prof. Ali Idris, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister, the programme will fund *registered companies that can deliver large-scale training, especially to vulnerable groups including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
“If you have a registered company capable of training at least 60,000 people within three months, the ministry will pay that company,” Ahmad stated. “Likewise, individuals who undergo training will receive a starter pack upon completion.”
Addressing Economic and Employment Gaps
Prof. Ahmad noted that with many companies exiting Nigeria and limited government job opportunities, vocational and technical skills acquisition offers the most viable path for young people seeking sustainable employment.
“We must equip our youths with skills that make them employable both locally and internationally,” she said.
Youth Advocacy at the Forefront
*Jonathan Abakpa, Programme Officer at Plan International Nigeria, emphasized the growing impact of *youth-led advocacy in shaping national policy. He praised the inter-ministerial dialogue for giving young people a platform to engage directly with government officials.
“This platform allows youth to demand the implementation of their priorities, especially around education, health, and development,” Abakpa said.
He acknowledged increased budgetary allocations for youth-related sectors but warned that *early marriage, **teenage pregnancy, and the *high number of out-of-school children still require urgent government attention.
Complementary Government Programmes
The ₦120 billion skills initiative builds on several other federal youth empowerment programmes, including:
- The Digital Bridge Institute’s partnership with U.S.-based SBTS Group LLC, providing digital skills training for global employability.
- The Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative, led by NITDA in collaboration with the *NYSC, with a goal to train *30 million Nigerians in digital skills.
- The *DeepTech Ready Upskilling Programme, aimed at delivering *advanced training in data science and artificial intelligence (AI) to 20,000 young Nigerians.
These initiatives reflect a broader government strategy to close the digital divide and prepare Nigerian youths for evolving global workforce demands.
A Pathway to Youth Empowerment
With the launch of the ₦120 billion youth skills fund, the Federal Government is taking bold steps toward *reducing unemployment, **enhancing self-reliance, and *boosting productivity among Nigerian youths.
As the program unfolds, its success will likely depend on effective implementation, public-private collaboration, and sustained support for young people transitioning from training into the workforce.
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