The Federal Government has commenced a two-week intensive skills training for 150 youths in Enugu State in Artificial Intelligence (AI), solar installation and fashion design under its National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS).
The programme, which began on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, is aimed at tackling unemployment and poverty by equipping young Nigerians with practical skills, business support and starter packs to establish businesses and achieve economic self-reliance.
The initiative is being coordinated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (TVEE), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, as part of the Federal Government’s drive to lift five million Nigerians out of poverty.
Speaking at the training in Enugu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on TVEE, Dr Abiola Arogundade, said the initiative reflected the Renewed Hope Agenda and the government’s commitment to expanding economic opportunities for young people across the country.
She described the South-East as an important part of the programme, noting that the selection of Enugu demonstrated the government’s commitment to inclusive skills development.
“Our expectation is that the beneficiaries will attend the training every day, learn as much as possible and gradually begin to lift themselves out of poverty,” Arogundade stated.
She disclosed that the programme had already been implemented in some geopolitical zones, including the South-West and North-Central, adding that the initiative would be extended to other parts of the country.
To ensure that the training delivers lasting benefits, Arogundade said the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning had established a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to assess the progress of beneficiaries.
According to her, participants would be assessed after six months and one year to determine how effectively they were applying their acquired skills and utilising the equipment provided to them.
The Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr Chris-Roberts Ozongwu, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the initiative, describing it as an intervention that complements the state government’s efforts in entrepreneurship development, skills acquisition and economic growth.
Mbah said equipping young people with practical skills would create opportunities for them to establish businesses and contribute to the state’s economic development.
Also speaking, the Director of the Macroeconomic Analysis Department at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Felix Okonkwo, said the programme aligned with the Federal Government’s commitment to sustainable poverty reduction under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He explained that the beneficiaries would receive training in AI, solar installation and fashion design, alongside equipment to support the establishment of their businesses.
Okonkwo said the government was shifting its focus from temporary financial assistance towards sustainable economic empowerment through vocational training and entrepreneurship.
“Instead of giving people N5,000, N8,000 or N10,000 as cash transfers, we believe that equipping them with skills and supporting small-scale businesses will provide a more sustainable means of reducing poverty,” he said.
He added that the 150 beneficiaries were selected through an open application process advertised on social media and radio stations, providing interested youths with an opportunity to apply for the programme.
The NPRGS initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to promote vocational education, expand access to marketable skills and support entrepreneurship as pathways to improved livelihoods.
Through the training, the government expects beneficiaries to acquire practical competencies, establish small businesses and create additional economic opportunities within their communities.