The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP-TVEE) has announced that a nationwide skills upscaling initiative under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy will commence shortly.
This initiative is part of the federal government’s broader efforts to increase the proportion of Nigeria’s skilled workforce to at least 50 percent within the next two years. Dr. Abiola Arogundade, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, made this disclosure during a planning committee meeting held at her office in Abuja.
To facilitate the training programme, six states have been selected to serve as regional training hubs, each representing one of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones. These are: Adamawa for the North-east, Ondo for the South-west, Abuja (Federal Capital Territory) for the North-central, Kebbi for the North-west, Delta for the South-south, and Enugu for the South-east.
Each centre will accommodate 300 trainees who will receive instruction in three specific skills. The selection of these skills is based on trainees’ preferences, market demand, and the overall employability of the skills taught.
For the North-central zone, OSSAP-TVEE will oversee the training of 300 participants drawn from the six states in the zone—Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau—as well as the Federal Capital Territory. The skills offered in this zone include cybersecurity, solar installation, and graphic design.
The training programme will last for 10 days, equipping participants with practical and market-relevant skills to enhance their employability and contribute to poverty reduction across the country.