The Federal Government has officially launched the Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme, a nationwide initiative aimed at tackling unemployment, reducing poverty, and equipping young Nigerians and vulnerable groups with practical skills for self-employment.
The programme was inaugurated by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction through the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) at the Government Science Technical College (GSTC), Area 3, Garki, Abuja.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, described the initiative as a flagship empowerment programme of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, designed to create sustainable livelihoods through vocational skills development.
According to a statement issued by NSIPA’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Hope Attari, the minister said the programme demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing unemployment, reducing poverty, promoting entrepreneurship, and expanding economic opportunities for Nigerians.
Dr. Doro stressed that vocational skills acquisition has become an economic necessity, noting that the initiative is more than a training exercise but a comprehensive pathway to economic empowerment.
He said the government’s decision to refurbish and redistribute vocational equipment that had remained unused in warehouses reflects its commitment to prudent management of public resources while ensuring the tools benefit Nigerians.
The minister urged beneficiaries to take the training seriously and called on training providers to uphold professionalism, transparency, and accountability throughout the implementation process.
He also disclosed that the Federal Government would establish mechanisms for continuous mentoring, enterprise monitoring, and impact evaluation to ensure participants successfully establish businesses and generate employment.
“The success of this programme will ultimately be measured not by the number of people trained, but by the number of sustainable businesses established, jobs created, and families lifted out of poverty,” he said.
Dr. Doro commended President Tinubu for providing leadership for the initiative and appreciated the National Assembly, state governments, development partners, and other stakeholders for supporting its implementation.
Earlier, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of NSIPA, Associate Professor Badamasi Lawal, revealed that the first phase of the programme will directly benefit more than 18,000 Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He explained that the initiative was conceived to address rising youth unemployment while putting previously abandoned vocational starter packs into productive use.
Lawal said beneficiaries are being selected through a transparent process involving the National Assembly, state governments, traditional and religious leaders, youth and women groups, organisations representing persons with disabilities, and other key stakeholders.
According to him, priority is being given to unemployed youths, women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
The programme will provide training in 14 high-demand vocational trades, including automobile technology, agricultural technology, baking and confectionery, carpentry, catering services, electrical installation, housekeeping, jewellery and bead making, masonry, plumbing, welding and fabrication, fashion design and sewing, grinding machine operations, and vulcanising and tyre services.
Beyond technical skills, participants will also receive training in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, business management, and digital literacy. Successful trainees will be provided with trade-specific starter packs to enable them to begin self-employment immediately after graduation.
Also speaking, the National Programme Manager of N-Power, Dr. Nsikak Okon, said implementation would be decentralised across the six geopolitical zones using accredited government technical colleges and vocational institutions.
He explained that the Government Science Technical College, Abuja, was selected to host the flag-off because of its capacity to deliver industry-relevant vocational training.
Dr. Okon added that NSIPA has deployed a comprehensive digital monitoring, evaluation, and data management system to track trainees’ attendance, training progress, distribution of starter packs, and post-training outcomes in real time.
The Federal Government said the programme is expected to boost job creation, promote entrepreneurship, and contribute significantly to poverty reduction by equipping thousands of Nigerians with marketable skills and the resources needed to establish sustainable businesses.
