Federal Government Trains, Empowers 700 Oyo Youths
The Federal Government has commenced the expansion of its National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy, targeting about 5 million Nigerians for poverty reduction over the next 4 years.
As part of the initiative, 700 youths in Oyo State have received vocational training, with beneficiaries provided with relevant equipment and digital devices to help them establish businesses and become economically independent.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Dr Abiola Arogundade, disclosed this at a graduation ceremony held at the Kensington Adebutu Hall, University of Ibadan, on Friday.
Arogundade said the initiative reflected President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to tackling poverty by creating opportunities for economic independence rather than relying solely on direct assistance.
“What we want to do, and what the President wants to do, is to move as many people out of poverty as possible,” she said.
“Mr President believes that our young people do not simply need assistance. They need opportunity. They need skills. They need the tools to compete and build sustainable livelihoods. And that is what today represents.”
The training programme, which ran from September 28 to October 9, 2026, ended with the graduation ceremony, where beneficiaries received enterprise equipment to help them turn their newly acquired skills into income-generating ventures.
The intervention, implemented through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, is designed to address unemployment, bridge skills gaps and equip beneficiaries to establish businesses and participate in the digital economy.
Arogundade said 30 participants received specialised training in artificial intelligence and graphic design, while 85 were trained in make-up artistry and another 85 in fashion design.
She added that 500 participants would receive digital devices to support their participation in the expanding digital economy.
The beneficiaries received items including laptops, make-up kits, sewing machines and digital tablets, depending on their areas of training and the support allocated to them.
Arogundade urged the graduates to use the opportunity to build sustainable livelihoods and extend the benefits of their training to other members of their communities.
“What you receive today (Friday) is not the destination. It is the beginning. Take the skills you have learnt. Take the tools you have received, and build something with them,” she said.
“Don’t use it as a one-man solution or one-man empowerment. There’s a multiplier effect. Train your neighbours, train your community people, and also continue to impact and learn more.”
The keynote speaker and principal consultant, Mrs Oluronke Shonubi, said training young Nigerians in artificial intelligence was important as major economies continued to integrate the technology into different sectors.
She noted that countries such as the United States and China were investing heavily in artificial intelligence applications across industries, including manufacturing, agriculture and automobile production.
Also speaking, the make-up artistry instructor, Rukayat Muhammad, said the skills acquired during the programme could provide beneficiaries with a pathway to financial independence if properly developed and marketed.
Muhammad described make-up artistry as a marketable vocation and encouraged the beneficiaries to improve their skills, promote their services and build sustainable businesses.
She advised the trainees to regard the equipment provided by the government as an investment in their economic future and use it to establish and grow their enterprises.
Addressing the beneficiaries, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Sharafadeen Alli, said the training should serve as a foundation for economic independence.
He encouraged them to embrace entrepreneurship, improve their competencies and use the knowledge acquired to create employment opportunities for themselves and others.
Alli said initiatives that equip young people with practical skills and tools to establish businesses could contribute to tackling unemployment and reducing poverty. He added that the intervention would deliver greater benefits if the beneficiaries translated their training into viable enterprises.
“I urge all the beneficiaries to make the best use of this opportunity. The training and equipment provided are not just gifts; they are tools to build sustainable businesses, achieve financial independence and create employment for others,” he said.
