FG Empowers 75,000 Youths Through Landmark IDEAS-TVET Skill Initiative

According to Ireporter Online, the Federal Government has empowered over 75,000 young Nigerians with vocational skills through the Innovation Development and Effective in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) TVET initiative.

The National Project Coordinator of IDEAS-TVET, Mrs. Blessing Ogwu, made this known during the official flag-off of a six-month free training for 100 participants in Agriculture and Aquaculture held in Badagry, Lagos State. The initiative is a collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Education, the IDEAS-TVET Project, and SejFarms Consults Limited.

Mrs. Ogwu explained that the skill acquisition scheme has been running for about five years, with the IDEAS-TVET component beginning in late 2024. She noted that the current training represents the second cohort of beneficiaries.

“The goal is to equip young Nigerians with practical, income-generating skills that will empower them to become self-reliant and productive members of society,” she stated, adding that the government aims to engage over 75,000 youths before the conclusion of the programme.

She also commended the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the World Bank for their invaluable support towards youth empowerment and national development.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of SejFarms Consults Limited, Mr. Sejiro Oke-Tojinu, said the training would enhance the participants’ agricultural expertise and contribute significantly to the Federal Government’s food security agenda.

The programme coordinator, Mr. Nurudeen Tiamiyu, highlighted that participants would gain comprehensive hands-on experience across the agricultural value chain by the end of the training.

In his remarks, Mr. Peter Dansu, media aide to Prince Sesi Whingan, the lawmaker representing Badagry Federal Constituency, urged beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity to become professional farmers.

Similarly, Mr. Augustine Kiki, a representative of the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, encouraged the trainees to dedicate themselves to the programme, while Mrs. Toyin Pot-Balogun, Assistant Chief Fisheries Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, advised the participants to make Lagos State proud by using the training to improve their livelihoods.