FG Takes Skills Training Programme to Oyo, Targets Five Million Nigerians
By GLEBM News Desk
A Federal Government skills acquisition programme designed to reach five million young Nigerians has moved into its Oyo State phase, with officials highlighting technical training and entrepreneurship as part of efforts to improve employability and support income-generating activities.
The programme’s Oyo phase commenced on September 28 and is scheduled to run until October 9. According to an announcement from the State House, the initiative is being implemented under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy and is intended to equip participants with practical skills relevant to employment and small-business development.
Dr Abiola Arogundade, Senior Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education and coordinator of the programme, said the training had previously commenced in the Federal Capital Territory and would be extended to other states and geopolitical zones.
The initiative focuses on technical, vocational and entrepreneurship education, areas that can provide participants with routes into wage employment, self-employment and small-scale enterprise. The government says its wider objective is to promote sustainable livelihoods and strengthen economic independence.
Practical training can be particularly relevant to young people who lack access to formal employment or the resources required to establish a business. Skills in areas such as fashion design, beauty services, repair work, digital services and other trades can provide a foundation for earning income, provided participants can access customers, equipment and working capital.
The programme also includes plans to provide selected training equipment to participants. The State House announcement identified laptops, sewing machines and fully equipped makeup kits as items intended to support beneficiaries in establishing or expanding their activities after training.
Such support can help bridge the gap between learning a trade and putting it into practice. However, the long-term value of the programme will depend not only on the number of people enrolled but also on completion rates, the quality of instruction, the relevance of the skills taught and the proportion of participants who subsequently secure work or establish sustainable businesses.
Access to finance is another consideration. A trainee may complete a course but still struggle to begin earning if the cost of materials, workspace, transport or business registration is beyond their means. Mentorship, market connections and follow-up support can therefore influence whether training translates into lasting income.
The programme’s stated target of five million people represents a broad national ambition. Assessing progress towards that target will require transparent information on enrolment, geographical coverage, funding, training completion and employment or business outcomes.
There is also a need to align vocational programmes with actual demand. Training providers can improve relevance by consulting employers, industry associations and local businesses to identify skills shortages and opportunities in each location.
For Oyo State participants, the immediate opportunity is to gain practical experience and develop the capabilities needed to pursue employment or entrepreneurship. For programme administrators, the challenge is to ensure that the training produces measurable benefits beyond the classroom.
As the initiative expands to other parts of the country, published results will help establish whether the intervention is improving access to livelihoods and how its design might be strengthened to reach more young people effectively.
